First UK Co-operative AAR!

Sir Humphrey said:

Imperial Preferences first.

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lol, Been listening to Daddy Chamberlin?

Sir Humphrey said:

I am against dealing with the Bolshies. For purely historical reasons.

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Exactly. Why would we deal with one who might turn on us. If we feed the Soviet war machine, who knows what will happen if they turn the arms we sent them against us? sorry just had to do that

OOC: Oh, I generally don't trade with them either, but only as a last resort. Never know, should we win WWII early, that the US might declare war on the Soviets...which they did in my most recent UK game.

FYI, I've moved down to Tuscaloosa for my last semester in college so I won't have access to the savegame (HOI 2 on my computer here's still at 1.0 ) until the weekends I head home, however I should be able to keep up with the forums.

No, the Lord Privy Seal makes his own policy. Whether the cabinet or military men swollow it is another story.

Sorry lads, been a bit busy lately. Normal service will resume shortly...... well, as normal as it gets anyway!

Also, going on a long holiday next month and that will curtail game play slightly [read:total blackout ] while I galavant around Europe for four weeks. 'First UK Co-operative AAR' will therefore be taking a hiatus from around the 10th Sept till early October. Wish I was sorry about the hiatus..... but I'm too excited about the trip to care!

I'll try to get the story posted up to where I have played and you can spend the downtime debating our plans for after Feb 1937.

I'll post soon.

Cheers,
Dury.

P.S. I'll be visiting the Somme battlefields, the Cabinet War Rooms in London and the Imperial War Museum so I'm claiming this as a 'work' related junket!

Dont worry, the arguments will still be the same when you get back.

OOC: Well it depends on what's available...and as always the Admiralty will provide many, many alternatives. :rofl:

OOC: Thanks guys, it's all very reasuring...... I think!

In other news, Flocky is going to join our merry band as a resident Nationalist MP from Sheffield (?) to stir things up in Parliament.

Meanwhile, military leaders should begin travelling to the Far East. Big conference in Singapore starts 1 January, Wolfey is our generous host. Before that however, Sir Cyril will be hunting in India...... see you there.

Cheers,
Dury.

Question Time in the House of Commons

Tuesday 22nd December 1936
Question Time, House of Commons, London


The Honourable Henry Oliver Nebb, MP for Sheffield Central, could scarcely believe it. He had drawn the chance to ask question 40, the first question that could be directed to the Prime Minister, and here they were at question 39 with the P.M. in his seat. Usually the time for questions finished before question 40 was reached. Yet today it seemed the Speaker had kept interruptions to a minimum, most M.P.s had merely said the number of their question, secondary questions had been brief and to the point, and several times the Minister concerned had stated that he would make a written reply. Maybe recent events and the festive season had, after all, affected the smooth workings of government. And now they moved onto question 40. Nebb rose to his feet and quickly uttered his opening remarks:

“Mr Speaker, Let me first convey to the Right Honourable Member for Edgbaston my sincere congratulations on his appointment as Prime Minister. (Whenever Nebb started to speak he always got catcalls from the Labour benches, and today was no exception. Over the years however the Tories had become more inclined to listen to the start of his speeches. Maybe, he thought, the distance between their political stance and his allowed them to appreciate some of his arguments, or was it just that they liked the entertainment? The noise died down somewhat and he continued...) My constituents - and indeed all the people of these islands - have reason to be thankful to him for his endeavours to clear away slum dwellings and replace them with decent and affordable rented homes, and to give help to the poor, to widows, to orphans and to old age pensioners. His roots in Birmingham, a city of honest hard working people with a tradition of some few enlightened employers and councillors who know that if they give better conditions and a fair deal to the ordinary worker and to women, then things will go better for all, and that indeed their businesses will prosper, those roots have, I believe, ably equipped the new Prime Minister to make a success of his governance-ship in these troublesome times, for childhood shows the man as morning shows the day.

“In my city of Sheffield alas, as elsewhere in these islands, the so-called ‘city fathers’ have not, how shall I put this? Have not dealt so successfully with the problem of jerrybuilt housing, ingrained insanitary conditions and systematic poverty. Indeed it has lately been the boast of some Sheffielders that, “Oh yes, we might have slums, but our slums are bigger and better than anywhere else!” (This remark engendered laughter, and then some boo’s and hisses where exchanged between the Labour Members and the government benches...)

“This Mr Speaker is not just a problem for those people who are forced to live in the slums and suffer the consequences. It is not just a problem for those who allow themselves to have a spiritual and moral conscience. (Nebb paused to let this remark sink in, and looked at certain well-chosen members of all the main parties, some of whom looked away, while others seemed to encourage him…) It is a problem for all the so-called ‘Captains of Industry’ because their production suffers; it is a problem for society and our nation because it undermines the fabric of society, destroys our industrial base and grinds down our most important resource, namely the inhabitants of these islands.

“Mr Speaker, I invite the Prime Minster to visit my constituency and to visit my city and see the situation for himself, that something might be done about it. I know it will be difficult for him to find the time in the midst of his new busy schedule, but where there’s a will there’s a way. I ask the Prime Minister, will he come?” Nebb sat down with a flourish calculated to mask the fact that while he had been standing other Members had taken his place on the stairway and that he was now part kneeling, part sat on someone else’s knee. The packed state of the House that had (coupled with the antipathy of a few individuals) given rise to the problem in the first place also helped to conceal it. He kept his eyes fixed on the Speaker; it was vital that he be allowed to ask a supplementary question.


[OOC: Remember this is just a character, his views aren't necessarily mine.
I'll just try to play along and join in with this wonderful thing you have going here. Regards, Flocky]

"I ask the Prime Minister, will he come?” Henry Nebb retook his seat.

Neville cursed that the Speaker had allowed it to get to Question 40 on the day Nebb held the position. He rose and approached the dispatch box.

"I thank the Honourable member from Sheffield for his question. As he states, the National government was formed to restore Britain to her former glory. And we have succeeded!" The opposition interjected at this point, Labour MP's calling out "liar, liar" or "resign, resign" while his own side shouted as one, "Hear, hear."

"However we shall never rest, never slumber while ever something more can be done. An example of this was the recent economic changes we introduced and passed in this very place. The resultant upturn in economic growth was almost immediate and although it may take a while to seep through to some areas the trickle down effect of the upturn will reach the whole breadth of the country eventually." "Hear, hear" shouted the government benches again.

Neville turned and acknowledged their support before continuing, "I also note the pride with which the honourable member speaks of his own constituency. I too have pride, pride in my nation as a whole and for each of its cities, towns and hearths. I am aware of the situation in Sheffield and have no need to visit to understand their suffering. I am not ruling a visit out but if were to accept an invitation from one member, then I'd have to accept an invitation from all. I'd spend so much time viewing the problems, I'd have no time to actual solve any of them." Slight laughter rippled around the government benches, more in support than an acknowledgement that the comment was funny.

"And as the honourable member keeps informing any group consisting of more than two people, action is what must happen if this nation is to reclaim her rightful place at the table of nations!"

Best pleased at his subtle jibe at Nebb and his silly Nationalist group, Neville sat back down to another barrage of support from his colleagues.

The Supplementary Question

Nebb was getting to his feet again even as the Speaker nodded to him. How dare Chamberlain try to paint him as some kind of Nationalist! But he must not let himself be sidetracked by such tiresome misrepresentation. Yet he also felt genuinely saddened at the manner in which his invitation had been rejected. “Mr Speaker, (he waited for the abuse to die down…) I am proud of the people of these islands and of their sense of fair play; I am not proud of the way these islands have been governed... I do sincerely wish that the Prime Minister would find time to visit at least one deprived area; heaven knows there are enough to choose from... Surely he is not losing touch with the social ideals he once held so dear? (‘I must get back on track’, thought Nebb…) Mr Speaker, I extended my invitation because I felt that such a visit would be of great benefit to him and help him, now that he is at the head of government, to stay in touch with affairs in the real world. I fear that such help is already needed. I have tried to raise an urgent and important matter with him but been forced to go through his officials, and of course, given the way of such things, got no where. Even my personal invitation has been rejected. This matter is so important that I feel it must be addressed; therefore I am forced to mention it now.

“Mr Speaker, if one where to read such journals as the Times or the Daily Mail one would be under the impression that we have moved on from Hard Times, completed Great Expectations [OOC: a reference to a speech by Chamberlain in 1934] and, having left the works of Mr Dickens behind, are now poised on the title page of Milton’s Paradise Regained… Mr Speaker, it was the duty of the 12 spies to give an honest report. Like all Honourable and Right Honourable Members I am here because I am honest. (Someone cried out, ‘Oh really! I never knew that!’…) Because of that honesty I must mix my metaphors and become like the little boy pointing to the Emperor and saying, ‘He has no clothes on’.

(That put the cat amongst the pigeons, with the Tories shouting, ‘ No! No! Shut up! Sit down!’ while the National Liberal and National Labour Members joined in but in quieter fashion. At this the instinctive reaction of the Labour Party sitting in opposition was to go for the Tories and cry in support of the M.P. on his feet, but because that person was Nebb they became somewhat divided amongst themselves. Meanwhile the "Samuelite" Liberals were variously attacking and supporting him and shouting at the other parties, especially at those Liberals who supported the government. Several Members rose to their feet to playfully exchange insults with each other. After several calls of, “Order!” the Speaker was able to contain the rumpus. Nebb, who had been standing impassively, resumed his speech…)

“This sudden and dramatic apparent increase in prosperity is in fact due to new accounting methods and some measures introduced a couple of years ago by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. (This remark led to a fresh brouhaha for the Speaker to calm down…) The new economic measures to increase supply production to 10.6 and keep military upgrades at 9, while continuing a careful overhaul of our armed forces, seem welcome, on the face of it. (Nebb had decided not to mention the discrepancies between the announced figures and those in the report he had seen, as to do so would only reduce the impact of his main point…) But there is a problem. We all know something of the activities of two small groups of people, some on the extreme right who claim to be in favour of working people and of the country, but in fact further the aims of Herr Hitler, and of others – sad to say – on the left who make exactly the same claims but in reality serve the aims of Moscow. (As the Members were politically opposed to at least one of these groups, everyone – including the lone Communist M.P. who felt he was most certainly not a member of either – stayed mostly silent, even those who felt his remarks about foreign powers were in bad taste…) These groups take advantage of the deprivation I have already referred to. They are small at present, but their effects are being felt. Indeed, if (he paused for dramatic effect…) one where to read a certain government report, one would see that the level of dissent they have managed to whip up is well over 2 percent.

(This last sentence brought shock to the faces of those Cabinet members who were present. Shock surely that he knew of such confidential information, surely not shock that it existed? Although for the rest of the House who now sat in hushed silence it was a ‘double whammy’. This is why parliamentary privilege exists thought Nebb as he continued…)

“I refer to my own city of Sheffield with which I an familiar. The industrial output of Sheffield, of iron, of steel, of advanced special steels from its foundries and metal shops, of its manufactured machines, goods and equipment both large and small, sometimes at the cutting edge of technology, produced both in giant factories and by hand in ‘little mesters’, is vital to these islands. In the Great War the city raised whole divisions, the place of the workers being taken on the home front by women, by the old, and by a valuable influx of immigrants. But the fact is, the current level of dissent would and does reduce that output. Even worse, that debilitating effect is felt not just in Sheffield, but everywhere. The industrial capacity of the whole nation is being reduced by a figure equal to the level of dissent, and what impact is that having? Economists I speak to tell me that equates to 2 whole I.C. being lost. It also reduces the effectiveness of our armed forces.

“And yet no steps have been taken to reduce this dissent…

“Mr Speaker, this dissent can only be successfully eradicated by a programme that includes eradicating the appalling conditions that still exist in large parts of these islands. I ask the Prime Minister, what steps does he propose to take to reduce the level of dissent? And when does he propose to start taking them?”

Nebb sat down, surprised by the space that opened up for him on the steps…

“Mr Speaker, this dissent can only be successfully eradicated by a programme that includes eradicating the appalling conditions that still exist in large parts of these islands. I ask the Prime Minister, what steps does he propose to take to reduce the level of dissent? And when does he propose to start taking them?”

The roar from the Opposition and the cross benches sent the house into hysterics as the government's bully boys engaged the Opposition in jibes and insults across the chamber. Nebb looked quite surprised at the amount of dissent he had been able to stir, it was scant consolation for Neville.

Chamberlain kicked himself, he should have seen it coming. The first question was so inocuous that Nebb HAD to have had something up his sleeve. He turned to a colleague and pretended to speak to him, it gave him time to gather his thoughts before rising to his feet. He approached the dispatch box again as the speaker gavelled the house to order.

"The member for Sheffield seems most well informed. I question by what 'honourable' means he has obtained all this information." Neville was playing it for his own side, to build them up for when his reply was weakest. Nebb's reply to that jib was drowned out by the shouts from behind him.

"Regardless, the member has asked about the effect of dissent on production. I put it to the House through you Mr Speaker that the dissent would dissappear overnight if all politicians got behind the National government as they should."

"Hear, Hear." shouted his colleagues behind him, the Labour party and the cross benches exploded in outrage.

"But Mr Speaker, the actions of the few will not greatly effect the many." he used hand actions to differentiate the government's ranks from his opponents, "Government programs are in train to deal with dissidents. Not only will the economic changes that THIS house, not just I as Chancellor, passed increase the overall pool of wealth for all but the increase in spending on government programs as a direct proportion of that overall pool of wealth will allow more for law and order, job creation and education."

"Hear, hear." shouted his benches again but their vigour was waning. Neville decided to wrap up his reply, and question time in a hurry. he gave a quick signal to the Chief Whip and continued to speak.

"But Mr Speaker, I feel I am justified in saying that dissent will always continue in one form or another. Especially while ever people continue to extoll people to violence. I leave it to my fellow members to decide if the member for Sheffield has done more to hinder or to help that cause."

Neville sat back down to applause from his colleagues and cat calls from the opposition as the Speaker called the House to Order. Question Time was ended straight after the Speaker regained control and in a flurry Neville rose again and left the chamber, followed by his strongest supporters.

The Cabinet Room

"What the Dicken's happened in there?" Neville raged at his colleagues. "Where did he get that information?" he continued to pace the room as the Chief Whip replied.

"We'll launch an investigation into the leak immediately Neville."

"Damnation man, forget that. he's got it now and leak inquiries never find anything! Do something about the problem."

"What problem?" stammered the Chief Whip, "the Sheffield slums?"

"NO you idiot, the publicity he gained! Who cares about Sheffield slums. The Economic recovery will take care of them, we have to make sure that when it does WE get the credit, not the Damn Right Dishonourable Henry bloody Oliver Nebb."

The Chief Whip looked like he was ready to cry but luckily for him, Hore-Belisha stepped in. "We'll organise a visit to Sheffield for you Neville. Make it sound like a spur of the moment thing, young family, husband got new job in shiny new factory, shiny new baby with bright future due to Chamberlain reforms. That sort of thing. Don't worry about it."

Neville continued to eye the Chief Whip but he had calmed down after his prior outburst. "Alright, Leslie, get on it. We'll do it in between Christmas and New Year when everyone's in a festive mood. I leave it to you."

With that he nodded to his colleagues and retreated to his private office. Hore-Belisha helped the Chief Whip to his feet and helped him to the door, "Lets get a drink Harry, help you recover."

"Thhhanks." he stammered as he allowed himself to be led out.

That night in Nedd's London apartment

During the night of 22nd/23rd December 1936
Nebb's apartment in London

Nebb slept fitfully. It was always the same after he had achieved some small success…He could understand cabinet members frequenting the Member’s Bar with files of documents, really he could. But as for placing them on a table while they went to the lavatory…and being so half-cut that they didn’t notice several leaves fall to the floor…he had instinctively reached out to pick them up and put them back in the file…some words had caught his attention and then one line in particular seemed to leap out at him, genuinely shocking him…after that he had hurriedly but deliberately scanned through the pages before returning them to the file…underhand maybe… but then he wasn’t about to embarrass the Minister concerned…

He turned over in bed…it could be a fine line between scoring political points and damaging the nation… so many evils from within and without…before the Great War it had all seemed so simple…

Still, today’s events would ensure some publicity for his friend Jack Barber’s article…it was good to have an ally like that at the School of Economics…But would it be published before the new year’s holiday?

No, he should have repeated the fact about 2 whole I.C. being lost before he had asked his question so that everyone would appreciate the seriousness of the situation…the main thing was to get something changed, not to score political points…he’d had the chance and he’d blown it…no, he’d prepared the ground for the next attack…when you gave a speech afterwards you could always see how you could have improved it, even if everyone else thought it was brilliant…so now it was time for Jack to advance into the attack…

Chamberlain seemed to have changed these last few years…maybe power did corrupt…maybe the system forced you to change…even Nebb had changed…before the war he had been dedicated to overthrowing the system, now it seemed the most he could ever hope for was to persuade someone else to tinker with it…before the war…no, it was no use, he could not allow himself to lie in bed and think about the war, he had to get up and read a book. Something by Keir Hardy perhaps…

Ooc

Just wanted to say hello after appearing from nowhere and making such long postings in character.
I realise that all you serving officers can't engage in political debate, so I'll shut up for a while (at least until Barber's article comes out...) as I've posted too much already.
Cheers,
Flocky

Lt. General Berty took a seat at his desk in Army HQ in Alexandria and sighed. As per usual, Paperwork seemed to pile up the moment he was away from the office, even if it was only for a handful of days while taking the Division out on exercise into the desert.

If they got rid of the Paper pushers in Whitehall and Sandhurst, the Empire would have the money twice over to equip and maintain our armed forces, but I suppose there's more chance of the Jerries and Commies being friends then that happening. thought Berty with a wry smile on his face. Taking the first document, he opened it and began to read it, his eyebrow quirking up as he read it through.

A conferance in Singapore is it? Should be interesting to discuss whats coming up over the next few years. I'll have to arrange matters with Vice Admiral Alexander Stewart see if he's going, but there's nothing that can't wait here... besides, gives me a good excuse to not do this damned paperwork!

Sir Thomas Wallace grinned, "Chaotic eh? Sounds like a typical Parliament session to me." over the phone with his few, very few political friends.

"No, this time the opposition was really raising hell. In fact one of the MPs got some of the information that was just released a couple of weeks ago."

The First Sea Lord sighed, "You know as well as I do that no matter how secretive our governments may be, someone, somewhere will find out what we're doing. At least we're better than the Yanks on that note. Their government can't hold a secret even if their lives depended on it."

A quick chuckle came over the phone, "I suppose you're right, and hopefully this mess will be over with soon enough. Which vessel do you plan on taking to the meetings?"

Wallace shook his head, "You should know better than to stick your nose in that, that's military matters. HMS Hood is most likely though, that vessel tends to stir up patriotic sentiment wherever she goes."

"All right, take care."

Wallace hung up the phone, well a meeting in Singapore meant it was time to pack. It would be nice to be back at sea again. That was the part that Wallace suspected that he'd enjoy the most.

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OOC: Glad you're here Flocky, though it almost seemed that it was too civilized for a Parliament session. :rofl:

Vice Admiral Alexander Stewart was sitting in his office, when his secretary knocked on the door.

Alexander: Come in!

The secretary entered and addressed the Vice Admiral

"Sir, I've received this urgent file for you. I was told to ask you if you would read it immediately and respond."
"Alright, let me see it then."
"Here you go sir."

He took the file, opened it and glanced through it. So, a meeting in Singapore? Well, that'll be important. I'll take the HMS Queen Elizabeth to the meeting.

"Alright, Ms. MacGregor (she was Scottish too). Tell them I'll be present at the meeting in the HMS Queen Elizabeth."
"Right away sir."

The secretary left to answer it as Alexander pondered what would be discussed at the meeting.

OOC: Are we limiting this to just the most important people (IE FSL, Sir Cyril, RAF head, plus the soon-to-be theatre commanders) or are all of the military leaders supposed to head on down?

Adaml83 said:

OOC: Are we limiting this to just the most important people (IE FSL, Sir Cyril, RAF head, plus the soon-to-be theatre commanders) or are all of the military leaders supposed to head on down?

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I don't know. But if we arrive, they can hardly send us back!