Nation Name: Angleter
Artist: Sir Michael Barrymore ft. Remission
Song: C U When U Get There
Link to youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geAxeDPBxm8
Vote deliverer with their image linked: Nick Knowles
Link to your flag: Flag of Angleter

"Quite frankly, we'd want an end to directly elected councillors, a supermajority for anything to pass, and the wholesale repeal of, well, quite a lot of EU legislation. We'd also want some kind of constitutional delineation of what the Council can and cannot pass, to stop them passing laws that interfere unduly in the affairs of member states. But that, as you know, isn't going to happen."

"And absolutely, we would be more than happy to co-operate with EU institutions, and member states inside the EU, if we vote to leave. I'd be interested to hear which areas you see opportunities for co-operation in, should that happen."

"It's less about the EACA itself and more about the direction of travel of the EU. As you know, there have been multiple discussions, multiple amendments, multiple repeal motions, and none of them have passed. Who knows, it may get repealed in some years to come, but that's almost not the point. These lines are non-negotiable for us, and they keep getting crossed, and there's nothing to stop them getting crossed."

"I mean what is it right now? A group of elected representatives of other countries, with wildly varying populations, that can pass pretty much anything they like on a 55% majority. That can only work when it has some sense of self-restraint, but if that isn't gone entirely, then it isn't nearly consistent enough for us. As you're probably aware, we've taken to respectful non-compliance with EU rules that we believe are going too far."

"When our country joined the EU, we believed we were joining an organisation that was about how we as member states can work better together, support each other, and deal with cross-border things. Now it's about a group of people telling us what to do. Drugs. Healthcare. Justice. Marriage. It's everything."

"My opinion, and I know many of my countrymen disagree, is that we've seen enough at this point. We know that it'll never get to the point where it's permanently better. We've had occasional bouts of repeals, but it always comes back."

"We withdrew our councillor because, after EACA, that law means we don't have control over our own foreign policy. You have someone representing our country on the world stage, and for that matter, in a role that actually has power over this country, who is independent of the government. And the EU telling us we can't have any authority over that person, and they have to be elected separately, is not on."

"People elect me, our government, our parliament, to speak for Angleter on the world stage. That's our constitution, and it's the constitution - or at least it was before EACA - of most normal countries. But the EACA tells us to have a separately elected person purporting to represent this country, making decisions in Europolis that will affect this country. Withdrawing our councillor was a legal form of non-compliance we could pursue, but we know it can't work long term. Anglexit is, I think, a more permanent solution to that problem, and a lot of other problems we have with the EU."

"I mean, the whole thing is ludicrous. It's like a parliament in its own right. We're having all sorts of things imposed on us on a 55% vote among what are basically MPs for the member states."

"But anyway, I'd be eager to hear your thoughts on the Anglexit process. I'm glad that you recognise how important it is that the Angleteric people are able to make this decision for ourselves."

"Ah, this looks fascinating. I'll be sure to give it a look!" said Emryc as he placed the book to one side. He brought out from under the table a model steam train. "Now, I thought that as you like trains so much, you might like this model of the first train in Angleteric history, the Imperial Express. It ran from Damaszka to Dionysias in 1844. Think of it as the Eurostar of its time!"

"Now, to business. What would you like us to discuss first?"

@Montenbourg @BrumBrum No RPing the actual Nazis

Sirion TV votes for Tony Hall.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Simon. I assure you I'll be speedrunning this through Parliament."

Emryc also signed the treaty and leant across the table to shake hands with Simon.

October 25th, 2020
Article by: Sophie Hirst

ISLA'S EU REFERENDUM BILL SPARKS BACKLASH

SDP rebel Mary d'Ivry is a rare voice of support on the opposition benches for the Government's referendum plan

Prime Minister Emryc Isla has declared that next month’s vote on a referendum on Angleter’s EU membership will be a confidence motion, the first time that he has put his minority government on the line in a Parliamentary vote.

Since the 2018 election, Mr Isla has governed with the support of a loose collection of renegade Democrats, many of whom have since formed the New Right, a party which has signed a formal confidence and supply agreement with Mr Isla’s Citizen Alliance. However, the Citizen Alliance and New Right between them remain short of a majority, and a small number of New Right members are said to be wavering on the referendum bill.

With the exception of the New Right and the populist National Movement Robert Kilroy-Silk, opposition parties have responded furiously to the referendum bill. Social Democratic Party leader Kirpal Singh Chanon has called it a ‘stupid distraction’ from the ongoing quagmire in Dromund Kaas and tensions with the Communist regime in Neo-Venetia, while Democrat leader Robert Rice angrily denounced ‘Anglexit’ as a ‘reactionary, populist move’. Further complicating the picture are a number of Democrat MPs, including former Foreign Minister Vitus Duryzatehende, who, despite the party’s liberal turn under Mr Rice, are reported to be contemplating voting for the bill. Only a handful of SDP MPs are expected to support the Government, and the Coalition for Socialism and Liberation is unanimously opposed.

Mr Isla has reportedly grown tired of the constant threat of an SDP-Democrat alliance removing him from power, and has chosen to pre-empt the move by making the referendum bill a confidence vote. He is understood to believe that victory would solidify his informal support base in Parliament into a more stable majority, while in the event of defeat he is expected to call elections, riding what he expects to be a wave of Eurosceptic support, rather than allow Mr Chanon and Mr Rice to form a centre-left administration.

Some New Right and Democrat MPs have suggested that they would be more inclined to vote for the bill if it committed the Government to neutrality. However, while Mr Isla is prepared to negotiate a more neutral question for the referendum, and limit the amount of support the Government is able to give to the anti-EU campaign, he has repeatedly stated that he will not be a ‘passive observer’ in the process. “This is what the Government believes is right for Angleter. It’s what I believe is right for Angleter. I, and the Government, have a duty to make that case,” he told Mr Duryzatehende in Parliament earlier this week.

Despite disagreement on the terms, it appears there is a slim Parliamentary majority for holding a referendum, and pro- and anti-EU campaign groups have been established in anticipation of a campaign. Peter Montfort, a former European Councillor and Commissioner, and most recently Chairman of EuroVoice, has formed Angleter for Europe, which intends to campaign to keep Angleter in the EU. The group is supported by the leaders of the SDP and the Democrats, as well as former European Commissioner Gisela Stuart Firoux, who is married to the Speaker of the European Council.

At the Angleter for Europe launch event on Monday, Mr Montfort told reporters that “I know as well as anyone that the EU can be frustrating; but I also know it’s a powerful force for our influence in Europe. Our nation has grown so much since we joined the EU, and that’s no coincidence. We can’t afford to turn the clock back to 2007.” However, Mr Montfort has come under fire for his succession of Europolis-based jobs. Mr Isla tweeted that “Peter Montfort is a good guy but he went native in Europolis years ago. Maybe he’s worried the jobs will dry up if we #Anglexit?”

Mr Isla, meanwhile, has thrown his support behind Yes Angleter Can, co-chaired by rebellious left-wing SDP MP Mary d’Ivry and musician Drake Bell. Mr Bell has previously been a campaigner for Dragan Trympov’s Make Europe Great Again movement. It is expected that senior politicians, including the Citizen Alliance’s Martha Lane and independent centrist Mayor of New Birmingham Apache Indian, will join the campaign in the coming weeks, once the bill’s provisions on official neutrality become clearer.

At the anti-EU campaign’s launch on Thursday, Mrs d’Ivry was eager to distance the movement from Mr Isla: “I don’t like Emryc Isla, I don’t support him. But this isn’t about him. This is about left-wing people like me, right-wing people like Drake, centrists, everybody coming together to do what’s right for our country. The EU ties one hand behind our back, steals our wallet, and tells us to be thankful for it. It’s time to go.”

Polling, however, shows Anglexit intimately linked to the Citizen Alliance. According to Canvassus, 57% of people would vote to leave the EU today, including almost 95% of Citizen Alliance voters. And Mr Isla is reaping the political benefits, possibly informing his decision to give opposition parties the ultimatum of an election: the Citizen Alliance has soared to 48% in the polls. The SDP are second on 18%, followed by the hard-left Coalition for Socialism and Liberation on 14%, the Democrats on 12%, and the New Right on 6%. Robert Kilroy-Silk’s party has slumped to just 1% in the polls.

"Not sure what he's after, to be honest, but I suppose we better humour him. The pro-EU campaign are going to say we're turning down some wonderful offer that we know can't exist. We need to do all we can to stop that narrative taking hold."

Emryc nodded as his aide continued.

"The real question for us is does he come in good faith, or is it a pro-EU campaign tour?"

Emryc scoffed. "I'll take pro-EU campaign tour for £20. But yes, we need to manage this carefully. The referendum needs to get through Parliament, and there are a few Democrat and New Right MPs on the fence. We've made it a confidence vote but we can't afford any slip-ups if we're to get it over the line, OK?"

Another aide entered the office. "Sir? He's here."

"Great. Send a convoy to pick him up. The nice cars. Full armoured things, and have the red and blue lights all the way. He loves that kind of thing. Did you see his campaign stops?"