Hutori

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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Windsor-Bainbridge » Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:33 pm

===HUTORI TELEGRAPH===

MAYORALTY ISSUE THREATENS TO SPLIT CLP ONCE AGAIN

26 February 2880

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The Prime Minister in Bekenial after CLP meeting today

Political anoraks will remember that during Duchess Wright's majority government, the party suffered a brief split over the issue of local mayors, with two of the Prime Minister's closest allies resigning over the party's proposals for elected mayors. Whilst the affair was short-lived, it exposed the schism between the conservatives and libertarians that has existed since the party was founded. The Prime Minister, Miss Thompson, has today decided to re-open that debate. It is, perhaps, a sign of her authority over the party that has allowed her to do so.

After a meeting of the parliamentary party to decide which way the CLP would vote on such a measure, it was decided that the Prime Minister would introduce a bill indicating that all local mayors should be elected, in an attempt to re-engage the electorate with democracy. The Prime Minister has become extremely concerned over the lack of participation in the democratic process, something that led her to partake in the infamous photo shoot. Speaking outside Parliament today, Miss Thompson said:

"Hutori is a nation that has embraced over the last few decades the fundamental principles of liberty and democracy. These principles should be spread as far and as wide as possible throughout the nation".

However, not all within the party agree, and it is interesting to note that one of the rebels under Duchess Wright, was the current Prime Minister's great-uncle, Duke Thompson. One backbench CLP MP, Ronald Butt said:

"This is a preposterous situation. We are the Conservative-Libertarian Party, and I must see it as my duty to stress the Conservative aspect. We seek to preserve and conserve the constitution as it stands. Hutori is not the sort of nation that wants to see its local leaders elected. The Prime Minister is completely wrong in doing this. What next? An elected Head of State?"

Miss Thompson dismissed such suggestions as "ludicrous". What is certain is that this is the sort of issue that will forever divide the party, but Miss Thompson's authority will be decided by this bill - it will be either consigned to the history books, or she will be confirmed as the strongest CLP leader since Duchess Wright herself.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Lusk » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:57 am

HAVELOCK COMMENTS ON MAYORAL ELECTION REFORM

1 March 2880

BEKENIAL— Commenting from the Party Headquarters in Bekenial today, National Syndicalist Party chairman Wilbur Havelock, Bt. today spoke about the Mayoral Elections Act, due to pass later this year before the 2880 elections. "The love of democracy is a vice, and depends on the proposition that democracy somehow engenders good government. Patently, the rule of philosopher-kings is superior. Those councils which have found a wise man or a family of exceptional breeding to serve as mayors ought to be permitted to keep them. Most councils which have such a system in place also have a provision to remove such unelected mayors. Instead, with direct elections, we will now have 'men of the people'— that is, idiots and demagogues— elected. If uniformity of election method is for some reason desired, no doubt the House of Lords could mandate election by the council instead of popularly." Havelock is widely seen as taking a harder line against democracy and centralism than his predecessors. The Lusk family, which ultimately controls the NSP, holds two hereditary mayorships in Axminster and Woodhurst and approves the indirect mayoral elections of Saint Adrian, Saint John, and Glentingham.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Windsor-Bainbridge » Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:42 am

===HUTORI TELEGRAPH===

WORRY AMONGST CLP OVER MORALITY

21 November 2880

The members of the CLP Leadership Committee met this evening in order to discuss tactics for the general election. Recent surveys have shown that the CLP are seen as "conservative-leaning" on morality, something that the party has always striven not to be. On most moral issues, the CLP have voted progressively, and so it remains a mystery to the party as to what has happened to make them seem the opposite. One backbench MP, who does not wish to be named said:

"I think this all goes back to the Contraceptive Distribution Act. Whilst it was admirable, in that the state should not be paying so much money for that sort of thing, it made us appear as though we were against protected sex, or even sex at all. Since then, something seems to have changed. But surely, our record can't be cancelled out by one little thing?"

Worry is sufficient enough for talks of election defeat to be circling within the party. Upon her election as leader, Miss Thompson put civil liberties and morality at the centre of her agenda, allying with the CEP in government on this ground. It will therefore be a great worry of hers that they are not viewed as morally progressive. Whether the party's core vote will now look elsewhere or simply abstain, is yet to be seen.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Windsor-Bainbridge » Wed Jan 20, 2010 11:15 am

===HUTORI TELEGRAPH===

DUKE THOMPSON DIES

31 May 2881

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Duke Thompson with Duchess Wright shortly after he managed her first re-election campaign, gaining the CLP a second term in government

This morning at 8.37, Duke Thompson, the former Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative-Libertarian Party, died, at the age of 93. His career in Hutorian politics was a long and notable one, and, whilst Prime Minister for only 5 years, he was one of the most recognised faces in politics, and one of the most respected figures.

He was an early ally of Duchess Wright, first meeting her in 2813 when the both became members of the National Conservative Club, a society dedicated to opposing the Lusk family's hold on the political arena, and dedicated to restoring the rightful Hutorian monarchy. For many years, he was one of Duchess Wright's key allies, especially during the years of the Lusk one-party state, when both had to take extra care with their political activities. It is widely believed that it was Duke Thompson who was instrumental in persuading the Duchess to challenge the Lusk autocracy by forming a political party and running for election. His persuasion paid off and in 2844, the CLP achieved one of the greatest political landslides in Hutorian history.

He joined the government as Trade and Industry Secretary, but resigned shortly afterwards in protest over the government's support for elected mayors. Despite this resignation, he remained close to Duchess Wright, and was election campaign manager for each of her elections. During her second term, he returned to the government as Foreign Secretary, and aided the CLP in winning a third term. After the resignation of the Duchess, Duke Thompson became party leader, promising a continuation of Duchess Wright's policies, but with a more dogged political style. Due to the depth of the Duchess' reforms, Duke Thompson's government was left with minor reforms to be made, including reforms of the justice system, deregulation of the ownership of animals, and, after the death of the Duchess, he renamed a city in her honour.

At the next election, the CLP lost its overall majority, although remaining the largest single party. After a couple of months, Duke Thompson resigned as Prime Minister, along with the rest of the Party Leadership Committee, wishing for a new generation to take charge of the party. Rumours surfaced of a rift between himself and Duke Havers (his successor as Prime Minister), but Duke Thompson kept a low profile during these years, and during the years of the NSP government. However, upon Duke Major's election as Prime Minister, Duke Thompson once more returned to government as Foreign Secretary, acting as the right-hand man to Duke Major. During this government, his rift with Duke Havers bubbled to the surface, after both publicly criticised each other.

In the last few years, Duke Thompson had once again returned to silence. After his great-niece, Melanie Thompson, was appointed Prime Minister, he felt it best to retire from active politics, although he remained a member of the Party Leadership Committee. His last major public comments were following the controversy over the Prime Minster's photo-shoot in the lad's magazine "Pose", something that many felt would have embarrassed him.

In the last couple of years, Duke Thompson has suffered from a series of strokes, something that the Hutori Telegraph has not hitherto been willing to disclose. Last night, he suffered another serious one, and died this morning, seemingly at peace. He had no children of his own, and his closest surviving relative is indeed the Prime Minister and her siblings. It is understood that the Prime Minister intends to keep working as much as possible, although she will be taking today off as a sign of respect, and shall be attending the public funeral service three days from now.

The Hutori Telegraph would like to pay tribute to that dogged and righteous politician, Duke Thompson.

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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Lusk » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:33 am

EARL OF AXMINSTER PUBLISHES "LUSK IN THE THIRTIETH CENTURY"

28 September 2881

AXMINSTER— Adrian, Earl of Axminster, the heir-apparent to the Lusk throne as Adrian III, published a work called "Lusk in the Thirtieth Century." Although a lightweight at only a hundred pages, the book has already sold over a million copies in the week it has been on sale. Luskites were curious for any look into the mind of the reclusive Earl, who has mostly recused himself from even internal Lusk politics. Adrian, if crowned as expected, will be the first Lusk prince to have a doctorate, his being in statecraft from the University of Sutton. Unlike his father, Benedict, Adrian is said to possess a fiery and unrestricted temperament. Adrian's twin brother, Henry, Count of Saint Anselm, is influential in the Union of Radical Republicans.

The actual book is in itself not so remarkable. Many university theses at institutions ranging from CLP-aligned University of Bekenial to the official Lusk university, Axminster Lutheran University, have dealt with the rôle of the Lusk family in a country where they are no longer the heads of state. Most such analyses focus on either the economic status of Lusk as the richest family in the country, or on the ceremonial position of Lusk as the Lord Great Chamberlain, or on the increasing independence of the Lusk ideology and indeed the entire Lusk apparatus from the family. Adrian's book is no exception, going into great depth about all three, but the Earl seems to be laying out a policy. Deeply distrustful of democracy, Adrian advocates for a monarchy elected by a council of "great nobles" including Lusk and the current House of Hutori. The Earl, who came of age after the restoration had already taken effect, seems to be resigned to the prospect of Lusk never regaining full sovereignty, but notes that "Lusk has kept many of the affects and substances of sovereignty, even as their nominal sovereignty has been stripped away. For instance, Lusk has continued to elevate individuals to the peerage and award knighthoods, and these seem to be recognized by the Kingdom, although not officially. This has been made possible through non-overlap: Lusk awards Baronetcies and Counties, while Hutori awards the other honors. Hutori is very light on awarding knighthoods, but Lusk tends to award these frequently."

The book begins with a rant against the "medievalists" who have resurrected the Hutori monarchy. "It is illogical in the extreme to resurrect a monarchy gone for more than two hundred years, especially when the pretender is of such uncertain parentage."

Generally, the Earl's thesis is that Lusk and the Hutori monarchy have mostly non-overlapping power structures and thus do not come into conflict, allowing them to exist side-by-side with little interference. He does, however, identify several areas of continuing conflict, centrally the mayoralty issue and the use of the title "Prince of Falristan." Through hereditary mayoralties, Lusk has retained a great deal of local control, although such mayoralties have been abolished twice. After the first abolition of such mayoralties, Lusk managed to regain some of the lost. Directly-elected mayors are currently mandated by the central government, although the NSP and GKF both oppose such a system. Adrian, from "Lusk in the Thirtieth Century," gives support for the creation of hereditary or semi-hereditary mayorships that are more acceptable to a political majority. On the issue of the title "Prince of Falristan," which has been claimed by Lusk since they returned to what is now called Hutori but used by the monarchy for the heir-apparent, Adrian offers no easy solution. "Lusk abandonment of the title would show that we are not for the whole country, while Hutori abandonment would give more legitimacy to Lusk than perhaps they would be willing to give." Adrian notes that in Hulstrian terms, Lusk is the Fürst of Falristan, while Hutori is the Prinz of Falristan. As would be expected, he suggests that Hutori "change the title of the heir-apparent" to "Prince of Bekenial," "which would hopefully side-step as much of the conflict as is possible."

Adrian supports the formalization of the current system "to prevent disruptions thereof." The current Prince Lusk, his father, Benedict II, is still in good health and refuses to consider any kind of formalization of the current system without significant concessions from Hutori. In his conclusion, he suggests that the current system be "emended" to be an elective monarchy, "with future kings chosen by a council of prominent nobles," including Nicedor, Ulfried, and, of course, Lusk. "This will avoid any potential question of legitimacy, since such a council could theoretically hand the crown to any citizen." Adrian's book is no great volume, but it provides an important glimpse into the mind of one of the most important political figures of the future.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Lusk » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:13 am

MICHAEL III DIES

30 June 2881

AXMINSTER— The Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Central Macon, the largest single denomination in Hutori, has died today of massive heart failure. His will, read at the announcement of his death, indicates that he has appointed his deputy, Donald Williams, as his successor. Dr Williams announced that he would take the name of John I, to signify his expected policy break with the previous church. The LCCM had been a hardliner Luskite stronghold under Michael III, but John I is expected to lead the church to the left, away from the maximalist precepts that Michael III espoused. John I was appointed deputy to appease the left wing of the LCCM, and observers note that Michael III intended to replace him before his death. John I is relatively old and observers do not expect him to serve for very long.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Windsor-Bainbridge » Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:27 am

===HUTORI TELEGRAPH===

THOMPSON NAMES LORD PRIVY SEAL

1 June 2882

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The title of Lord Privy Seal has laid dormant for several years, or has simply not been officially announced. However, the Prime Minister has taken the decision to publicly name her Lord Privy Seal, one of the great officers of state, and the only one that is the personal gift of the Prime Minister. The title is given by the Prime Minister to one member of the Cabinet, and can she can change that at any time. It is generally an indication of who she considers to be her deputy, but is more an honour and a recognition of importance in Hutorian politics.

Miss Thompson had intended to offer this title to a member of the Cabinet from another party, but changed her mind, feeling that the Rt Hon Michael Heslop has been little regarded in his long and illustrious career in Hutorian politics. He was an original member of Duchess Wright's Cabinet, and, although not in all CLP cabinets since then, he has always been an active member of the Party. It is believed that there has been no love lost between the Prime Minister and Heslop, following the PM's decision to allow the public sector to retain oversight of schools, overriding Heslop when he was Education Secretary. Perhaps this is part of the healing process.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Lusk » Sun Jan 24, 2010 1:50 am

BENEDICT II AFFIRMS CHOICE OF ADRIAN AS SUCCESSOR, DETAILS HEALTH PROBLEMS

10 March 2883

AXMINSTER— In a rare public speech today, Benedict II, Prince Lusk and Lord Great Chamberlain, affirms that Adrian, Earl of Axminster and his first-born son, will succeed him as prince. A faction of Lusk supporters have desired that Adrian's twin brother, Henry, Count of Saint Anselm, be the successor, but Benedict noted that "the House has always worked by strict cognatic primogeniture. For ten generations, the Princes have been blessed with capable sons, and Adrian himself has already had a son." Adrian's son, Donald, Count of Kincardine, is currently enrolled in a middle-school program at a boarding school in Glentingham. Medical records show that Adrian is older than Henry by almost four minutes, but Saint Anselmites, as they are known, dispute this, saying that, since the medical records came from Axminster Lutheran University Hospital, it would have been easy to falsify them.

Benedict has been paralyzed from the waist down since 2873. After concluding the succession part of the speech, he noted that "Adrian's day of glory isn't far in the future. I am not well." Despite having given up smoking years ago, Benedict said that doctors told him he had colon cancer. Although he expected to hang on "for another decade," following successful treatment, he implored his followers to "stand behind my son, Adrian, who will champion the values of monarchy, class co-operation, and Lutheranism that we all love so well." Henry is widely reported to be a republican and an agnostic, which is probably another factor in the choice. Lusk observers expect the Prince, who was never as energetic as his legendary grandfather, Adrian II, to dial down his activities. Under Benedict II, the different parts of the Lusk apparatus have gained a great deal of independence.
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Lusk » Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:08 pm

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE ISSUES GUIDELINES IN RESPONSE TO BILL

10 January 2884

BEKENIAL— Archbishop John I, the leader of the Lusk-connected Lutheran Church of Central Macon and the Royal Minister of Education and Culture, today announced that the Ministry would be issuing guidelines regarding what is a "religious school" for the purposes of the new law, "Ban Religious Discrimination," a UFC-lead initiative about to pass the House of Lords. This law prohibits prayer "except in religious schools"; the current law permits prayer at the discretion of the principal or headmaster of a school. John I announced that henceforth "any school, including the state schools, may declare themselves religious and register with the Ministry." The guidelines state that to declare a school religious, the only thing necessary is the signature of the principal or headmaster on a form. The form does not specify the religious orientation of the school or any other information, merely stating that the "undersigned affirms by the power invested in him by the Most Excellent and Serene Kingdom of Hutori that his or her school is a religious school and thereby exempt from the ban imposed on prayer."
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Re: Bekenial Post-Dispatch

Postby Lusk » Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:11 am

BENEDICT, ADRIAN, HAVELOCK ANNOUNCE "THIRTIETH CENTURY CONVENANT"

20 October 2884

AXMINSTER— At a press conference today, Benedict II, Prince Lusk, Adrian, his heir-apparent, and Wilbur Havelock, Bt., the chairman of the National Syndicalist Party, the political arm of the Lusk family, announced a legislative series called the "Thirtieth Century Covenant"— a "promise to the people of Central Macon that the values that we all hold so dear will be put into legislation." The push is thought to be an initiative of Adrian, who is expected to acede to the throne soon as Benedict II is generally understood to be in somewhat poor health. Experts on Hutori governance do not expect most of the legislation to pass.
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