Premiership of the Baron Knightstone
 | |
| Premiership of the Baron Knightstone 5 March 2024 – 1 July 2024 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
|---|---|
| Cabinet | First Knightstone Ministry Second Knightstone Ministry |
| Party | The Heron Party The Unionist Party |
| Seat | 10 Downing Street |
 Coat of Arms of HM Government under Charles III | |
Thomas Carew, The Baron Knightstone's term as the Prime Minister of Great Britain began on 5 March 2024 when he accepted an invitation of Charles III, succeeding William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas, and ended on the 1 July 2024, following his decision not to seek a third term in office. During this time he also served as Designate of the Heron Party until 1 May, and then as Leader of the Unionist Party from the 1 May up to the end of his Premiership. Furthermore, he served as First Lord of the Treasury. Carew is the second Prime Minister of King Charles III, and the first to be elected during his reign. He led the Herons and the British Liberal Party in the Concorde Coalition to secure a supermajority in the 31st Session of Parliament, before securing the biggest majority since the days of the British Constitutionalists under the banner of his new party, the Unionist Party, at the May 2024 General Election. He was succeeded by his wife and Deputy Prime Minister, Josephine Carew-Grey, The Baroness Wilton. He served for 119 days, the fourth most of any consecutive tenure by Prime Ministers, and second in terms of elected PMs only to James Forsyte, The Duke of Warwick. In terms of cumulative days as PM at the time of his departure, he ranked fifth, behind Prince Victor, Duke of York, Oliver Newman, the aforementioned Duke of Warwick, and Kathrine Grey, The Countess of Argyll. Following a second tenure as PM, he became the third longest serving PM. He was the first Unionist PM, and third (and last) Heron PM. He was also the third consecutive PM to be from the UK (In real life), a stretch that had never occurred before in the regions history.
One of the main members of the Heron Party that had dominated the prior three sessions of Parliament, Carew served as Secretary of State for the Home Office twice (in the Stirling Ministry and the First Douglas Ministry), and then concurrently as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, in the Second Douglas Ministry of William Somerset. Having ultimately served for 106 days in Number 10, William Somerset stepped back and Carew was announced as the Heron Party Designate on the 19 February. Soon after, the Concorde Agreement was signed at the Savoy Hotel on the 24 February, announcing a multi-term coalition agreement with the British Liberal Party. In it, it supported Carew unequivocally as PM for the first term, followed by a reciprocation for the BLP-Designate the following term. Effectively, it secured a landslide majority in the March 2024 General Election. Carew was the first Prime Minister to not undergo the controversial Address-in-Reply, following its abolition by Lord Douglas. On the 22 April the Coalition collapsed, following a breakdown in talks between the two parties: while Carew was supported for a second term by the BLP, the Herons preferred a term-by-term reanalysis of the coalition, something the BLP rejected and they entered Opposition. Carew remained in power as the leader of a minority Government. Faced with the prospect of running against his former Home Secretary, close advisor, and wife, Josephine Carew-Grey, The Baroness Knightstone, Carew decided to regrettably leave the Heron Party to form the Unionist Party alongside Lady Knightstone on the 1 May, triggering a slightly earlier election than expected. Many former BLP and Heron Members joined the Unionists, culminating in a majority for the Unionists during the May 2024 General Election. Following a by-Election, the Unionists, alongside other Confidence-and-Supply agreements with an Independent, had a 7/8 seat majority in the House of Commons. As a result of this, he became the first Prime Minister to serve in the position consecutively as a member of two different Political Parties.
His first term was categorised by steady success in most areas of Government. With regards to Foreign Policy, he drafted the Treaty of Osborne with Talonia and organised the Talonian State Visit, but the Foreign Office also had to halt discussions with Europeia. Domestically, recruitment and activity onsite began to see a resurgence despite the disbandment of the recruitment bot used by the region, while Knightstone saw about pushing through key domestic reform, such as founding the National Gallery, Sporting Organisations, and establishing Chequers as the PMs Country Residence. The March Budget Act saw the restoration of the economy, returning from its freeze imposed during the first term of the Premiership of the 2nd Viscount Douglas, with Carew overseeing an expansion and return of a simplified, easy-to-manage economic model. The 31st Session of Parliament was, at the conclusion of its successor, ranked the ninth busiest on record.
The second term of Carew's Premiership saw continued success but marred by a slowdown in foreign affairs and controversial debates. The monolithic nature of the Unionist majority ensured relatively smooth legislative success, with the National Gallery, RAC, FA and Chequers all founded and set up during this second term. The Home Office also successfully replaced the Citizen of the Month Initiative with the Honoured Citizens and Statesmans Aisle Act to better honour long-term and dedicated citizens. The Economy continued on a trajectory of reform, with the introduction of a Government Bonds program, and the continued explosion of private media and business due to no business set-up fees and low taxes. However, messy debates regarding the May Budget and the subsequent SMAUG Act dented the economic credibility of the Knightstone Treasury. Foreign Policy slowed on the outside, though successful channels of communication continued with TEP, The South Pacific and Sophia, while informal communications were reopened with Europeia to allow for an easier time for Knightstone's successors. These contributed to breakthroughs such as with Sophia during the Premiership of the Duke of Warwick. RAF Reform was also keen on the agenda, with a push for Government control over military affairs following a period of deep stagnation, but this was ultimately and controversially rejected by the House of Lords. The 32nd Session of Parliament was the second busiest on record at its dissolution.
Thomas Carew's tenure as Prime Minister is overall considered to have been a success, influencing many of his successors. He oversaw the restoration of the economy which was frozen by his predecessor and introduced initiatives such as a Press and Journal Subsidy, the first of its kind, as well as the return of OSCAR (the public stats of the financial status of the Treasury). Domestically he oversaw the return to 200+ nations onsite and despite this reducing sharply due to the summer slump, activity was at some of its highest levels ever, both onsite and offsite. A record number of media and press organisations were founded, while Citizen of the Month was replaced with the Honoured Citizens Initiative. Internationally, inroads were made with several regions such as The East Pacific and Sophia, while the most notable success was with Talonia, culminating in the Treaty of Osborne. Most importantly however, to many, was the personal pragmatism, attitude, and activity of Carew himself. He expanded on the idea of a Prime Minister's Journal, which inspired his successors in both Government and in Opposition, saw the return of the weekly update and was generally rated highly in polls during his Premiership, and as the most effective Parliamentarian in the region. Carew's tireless endeavours for proper record-keeping meant that the wiki of his Premiership (the very one you are laying eyes on) was the first comprehensive Premiership wiki page in the regions history, so as to act as a useful guide to the history of the region, but to also lay out the work and the tribulations a PM faces across their tenure. Most importantly, his "keep calm and carry on" attitude, aversion to notable controversies, and work ethic all drew praise, especially when compared with the immediate Darkness Period at the beginning of the Wilton Premiership and the chaos of previous Premierships notably at the beginning of 2023. This was made noticeably apparent following the political fallout and more toxic landscape during the Wilton and the beginning of the Warwick Administration. Despite this abundance of high praise, Carew's Premiership did see several setbacks: Carew oversaw a percieved stagnation of Foreign Policy success in his second term, and combatted controversy both with the Governments disjointed discourse regarding the May Budget Act and RAF Reform. Furthermore, his defining role in the formation of the Unionist Party and in the dissolution of the Concorde Coalition is percieved by some to be a destabilising factor in some areas of the political scene, despite his laissez-faire approach to personal politics. Personally, despite the damage done to party or group credibility, Carew remained a deeply respected peer both during and after his Premiership, who served in Government and Parliament long after his departure from Downing Street. His high reputation ultimately lead to his return to Downing Street on two further occasions at the tail end of 2024, both as a Member of the Unionist Party and under unexpected circumstances.
From the 5th March until the 6th April, his Premiership was referred to as the Carew Premiership, but upon Carew's elevation to the peerage, it became known as the Knightstone Premiership, with Carew being referred to both by his last name and as Knightstone, or Lord Knightstone.[1] For much of his first term he is referred to as "Carew", with "Knightstone" used more commonly during his second. On the 23 June he was elevated once more for his service as Prime Minister to be known as the Viscount Sidmouth.[2] It was the second time in regional history that a sitting PM had recieved an elevation in the peerage, the first time also being Carew's elevation to the Barony of Knightstone. The overall name for the Premiership renamed "Knightstone" however, since the majority of Carew's time in Downing Street was spent with that name and the Honours List the elevation came with was a Dissolution Honours. Carew was referred to in Government as "Lord Sidmouth" for the last two weeks or so of his term, but informally, and only took up the title formally upon his departure from Downing Street.[3]
Heron Party Leadership
Leadership Bid
Background
Carew had been an early but not founding member of the Heron Party, which formed from the Independent Slate that split from the British Constitutionalist Party. Serving as Secretary of State for the Home Office in the Cabinet of the Earl of Stirling and as an MP in the 28th Session, he continued in that same position when the Viscount Douglas became Prime Minister. Carew was a consistent and diligent member of Cabinet despite going on a Leave of Absence over the Christmas period. For the historic 30th Session, Carew was appointed as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs alongside the role of Deputy Prime Minister. During this time, he oversaw the first real moves towards a formal relationship with the region of Talonia, and took over the reins of Government for two weeks into February, due to a Leave of Absence by the PM.[4] He became the first DPM in living memory to appoint a Minister to a Cabinet not their own in the regions history.[5]
Appointment as Designate
It became clear during the Mid-term Heron Party Conference that the Viscount Douglas would be stepping aside as Heron-Designate, and that as such a new one would have to be chosen. For some time Carew had been positioned within the party as a sensible replacement, and on the 10th February he formally put his name forward. His nomination was uncontested and confirmed on the 12th February. Within the next week, and in good time for the election, the Viscount Douglas announced his intention to step back on the 17th February, with Carew's appointment to the leadership position announced on the 19th.[6]
Concorde Coalition
Main Article: Concorde Coalition.
Carew promptly entered negotiations with the main rival of the Herons, the British Liberal Party to secure a multi-term coalition agreement. After several days of debate, it resulted in the creation and passage of the Concorde Agreement, which supported Carew as PM for the first term of this two term agreement.[7] For the second term, he would agree to step back and support the BLP-Designate, Cameron Romefeller, 1st Countess of Argyll (at that time the Viscountess Balloch). The agreement and the coalition were named after the Anglo-French Supersonic Plane known as Concorde, due to the hardwork and ingenuity both sides put into the project to make it work (though some theorise that it is also named after a former agreement between Teams in the RAC Formula 1 during the 1980s, since Carew is known to be a motorsport fan).
March 2024 General Election
Main Article: March 2024 General Election.
Polls opened for 24 hours on the 4th March 2024, the second election to use a new voting system that meant candidates only had to get over 50% of total voters who voted to secure their seat in Parliament. This system is known as the Romefeller Method. His campaign, simply titled "Thomas Carew for PM", supported measures such as an urgent return of the economy, cultural reform and new initiatives via the "Wembley Park Initiative" and the creation of a National Gallery.[8] Carew was the second most popular candidate, securing 17/20 votes possible, one less than his wife and BLP Chair, Josephine Carew-Grey.[9]
First Term (5 March - 4 May 2024)
Carew met with His Majesty King Charles III (alongside HRH Princess Gigiana) at Buckingham Palace in the evening of the 5th of March, where he was invited to form a Government.[10] Carew duly accepted and published his inaugaral address as Prime Minister later that evening, where he promised to "work [him]self down to the bone if necessary to achieve what [he] wanted too," while he also paid tribute to the King and to his predecessor, The Viscount Douglas.[11]
Cabinet
Main Article: First Knightstone Ministry.
Soon after his audience at Buckingham Palace, HM The King appointed a Cabinet on the advice of Carew later that evening.[12] Most of the appointments were well-recieved, with both Carew's wife and son (Josephine Carew-Grey and Owain Carew-Grey) taking positions in Government as Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary respectively, while Carews' Designate Counterpart in the BLP, Cameron Romefeller, 1st Countess of Argyll, was appointed both Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Elio Somerset, The Viscount Salisbury, was to take the helm of the Commons as its Speaker and as a result did not recieve a Cabinet Secretary role in Government, but retained interest in the Treasury in his role as Chief Secretary to HM Treasury. Patrick Maniar-Wright continued in his role as Justice Secretary. Notably, Carew appointed two "Special Advisors to the Prime Minister", these being Sirch Somerset (Carew's Deputy and Predecessor in the Foreign Office) and William Somerset (his immediate Prime Ministerial Predecessor). Furthermore, William Somerset, now a member of the House of Lords, was appointed originally as Leader of the House of Lords, a controversial appointment and one described as a "betrayal" by prominent former member of the upper house, Matthew Somerset, 1st Duke of Somerset.[13] Officially, the name of the position was later changed to Government Leader in the House of Lords, though Carew still referred to it at times by its original title.
An interesting point to note is that this first Knightstone Cabinet was not in fact the first Ministerial appointment Carew made, but his appointment of Elio Somerset, The Viscount Salisbury to the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer.[5] It was also the first time in living memory that a sitting PM did not make the appointment: William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas was on leave and left Carew in charge of Government.
Patrick Maniar-Wright was later also given the position of Minister of State for Development, in cooperation with the Home Office, due to his continued support to the Home Secretary regarding the Marsham White Paper, on the 13th March.[14]
On the 24 March Elio Somerset was made Minister without Portfolio, following internal discussions and due to his success at achieving a restoration of the economy.[15]
The Civil Service saw a quiet expansion under Carew in the second half of his tenure: James Forsyte, The Duke of Warwick returned to the Treasury as its Economic Secretary, while new citizen Frederick Mountbatten was made Undersecretary for Home Affairs in the Home Office.
The collapse of the Concorde Coalition on the 22nd April necessitated a significant reshuffle: Owain Carew-Grey was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, while the Viscount Douglas was made Home Secretary. The latter appointment was made also due to the fact that Lord Douglas had served in all the Great Offices of State bar the office of Home Secretary prior to his appointment: it made him the second politician to have held all four, behind only Prince Victor, Duke of York. James Forsyte, The Duke of Warwick was appointed as Chancellor, while Lord Salisbury became Justice Secretary.
Government Communications
Carew stated very early on that he intended for his Government to be open and transparent: he set about this immediately, instating a PM's Journal (an idea started by his predecessor) to announce news not immediately covered by a weekly, official update from Downing Street. The first edition of the journal was published on the 9th March, outlining legislative discussions, continuation of diplomatic discussions, and debate in the House of Commons.[16] The first weekly update was published on Monday 11th March.[17]
Prime Minister's Questions
The first session of Prime Ministers' Questions was opened on the 13th March, though Carew and the Speaker of the Commons, Elio Somerset, both supported an amendment written by the latter to do away with set days and to loosen the protocol, allowing questions to be asked at any time by citizens.[18] The Amendment mentioned began to be debated on the floor of the Commons following the return of Parliament in the first week of April: it recieved widespread support and was eventually passed.[19]
Leaves of Absence & Reduced Activity
Carew himself went on a period of Reduced Activity (RA), from Sunday 31st March until Friday 5th April, due to an IRL Holiday. He maintained a presence in Government matters. No weekly update was published that week, as explained in his previous weekly update.[20] Under the MHALPs Act, all members of the region are welcome to take a Leave of Absence (LoA) at any time, and this included many of Carew's Ministers. No LoA was significant enough to warrant a resignation or removal from Cabinet. Towards the end of Carew's term much of Parliament was inactive due to a mixture of LoAs, RAs, national holidays, notably a week of holiday for the Jewish festival of Passover, and NationStates downtime due to a catastrophic hardware failure. As a result much of Carew's legislative agenda in the commons was simply not passed in time, much to his personal regret.
Foreign Policy
Safe Haven Act
The Safe Haven Act 2024 was a Bill to designate the region a safe place for those fleeing other regions due to reasons such as transphobia or hate speech, and was a key policy of the Deputy Prime Minister, Cameron Romefeller. During its deliberation in the commons, Carew commended the bill and described it as "much-needed", and that "[this] Government supports the bill".[21] It passed the House of Commons with 6 Ayes, 1 Abstention and 1 Absence. In the Lords it saw more scrutiny over certain wording, with the Viscount Douglas questioning the use of certain terms, but still supported the spirit of the act.[22] The Baron Scarborough expressed further reservations.[22] During voting, due to the lack of a specific amendment and percieved irregularities in the wording of certain sections, both Lord Douglas and Lord Scarborough voted against the Act. Lord Westminster and the Prince Royal both voted aye, but the act ultimately failed on the 21 March.[23]
Beyond this, and owing to the BLP's eventual split from the Concorde Coalition, the matter was never raised by the Government again publicly. In a Liberal-Progressive Action Party Press Briefing in the run-up to the July 2024 General Election, Lady Argyll reiterated her support for such an idea if she were elected.[24]
Europeia
Relations with Europeia were halted on the first day of Carew's Premiership, following developments surrounding the administration of the region in relation to an earlier incident regarding the return of, and the subsequent administrative handling of a transphobe within Europeia. So early were these developments into his tenure that the Foreign Secretary, Owain Carew-Grey, had not even been appointed to the appropiate channels to be privy to the discussions, but Carew later published a statement on the 6 March from Downing Street. In it, he said that the decision to cancel plans for a state visit and discussions for "the foreseeable future" was "regrettable", but Carew clearly stated that "...regardless of my ambitions when it comes to Foreign Policy, my main concern as Prime Minister is the safety and the comfort of the citizens here in the Empire of Great Britain, and nothing Foreign Policy achieves should be at the detriment of people here."[25]
The move was supported internally, while Josephine Carew-Grey also expressed support publicly, stating that Carew "took the considerations of our community first and that's what is truly important."[26]
In the coming months the decision was still seen positively but a Daily Mail Poll in June 2024 did suggest mild discontent, with a singular figure disatisfied at the lack of negotiations.[27] Carew dismissed this sentiment in a Weekly Update Briefing, stating that "In an ideal world I would've spent this update perhaps raving about a Treaty with Europeia, but circumstances and opinions at the very start of those 105 days sent us on a different path. Due to my position as the effective executioner of those ill-fated negotiations with the region, I am not the appropiate person to lead a Government who re-enters new and refreshing negotiations with Europeia, but I hope the building blocks we're informally and formally creating with them behind the scenes means that my successors will not find themselves in the same predicament."[28]
Talonia
Talonia was a region first considered an attractive ally by then Foreign Secretary The Earl of Beaufort, during the Premiership of the Earl of Stirling. Carew continued in that vein during his own time as Foreign Secretary, writing a joint interview with the region. As a result, it became a Foreign Office Priority to secure closer ties to the region upon Carew becoming PM, and embassies were opened between the regions promptly.[29]
Several members of the Empire were also present as either Citizens or Diplomats in Talonia itself, such as Josephine Carew-Grey and HRH The Prince-Consort.
During a Foreign Office Update, the Foreign Secretary announced that a State Visit was planned for the 25-27th March with key members of Talonia arriving in the region for official engagements.[30]
Talonian State Visit
Beginning on Monday 25th March, the Talonian Delegation arrived at London City Airport by private jet, to be met by HRH The Prince of Wales.[31] Following this, the delegation, alongside the Prince, travelled to Horse Guards Parade where the Opening Ceremony and Guard of Honour took place - the delegation then travelled to Buckingham Palace for lunch and to eventually prepare for the helicopter ride to Osborne House.[32] Upon their arrival to the Isle of Wight, the Grand Vizier Emeritus met informally with the Prime Minister, before meeting HM The King, who gifted him ceremonial membership of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.[33] The State DInner began later that evening.[34]
On Wednesday 27th March the Prime Minister released a statement from the White State Drawing Room in 10 Downing Street, announcing that him and his Talonian Counterparts were to begin drafting and then, eventually releasing, a Treaty of Friendship between the two regions. The Talonian Vizier of Foreign Affairs paid tribute to the region, HM The King, and to Carew personally as Prime Minister as part of the statement.[35]
A joint Minecraft server between the two regions was announced on the 6th April.
Treaty of Osborne
The Treaty was named after Osborne House, the King's private residence on the Isle of Wight where much of the State Visit had taken place. Carew had written much of it before his reduction in activity but could not complete it beforehand, meaning it was only finished and presented to his advisors in April. Upon recieving assurances and support from his Talonian Counterparts, Carew considered the act finished. On the 7th April, the Foreign Secretary issued an update announcing the Treaty to the public, who heralded it as another "great step for the Empire of Great Britain."[36] The Treaty itself was presented to the Commons soon after, and debate began the same day.[37]
Despite a minor point regarding the wording of an amending clause by the Speaker, the Treaty was well recieved and on the 12th April voting began on the Bill. It passed with 5 Ayes and two absences, and made its way to the Lords.[38]
The Lords, despite some delay, ultimately passed the Bill with little fuss, and it made its way to the Red Box to recieve assent: said assent was duly given on the 1st May.[39]
Sophia
Relations with Sophia, via their shared World Assembly Motions as agreed upon in the Athenai Accords, continued throughout this period.
The East Pacific
Discussions with The East Pacific (TEP) were first made public in a Foreign Office Update on the 13 March, in which TEP was described as a "NS safe space" by the Foreign Secretary.[40]
Economic Policy
Since the suspension of the Economy during the first term of the Viscount Douglas, the economy had effectively ceased to exist, resulting in various levels of debate both for and against its return. Carew, however, spent a great deal of time in his campaign stating that the economy would certainly return, and as such the Treasury went to work.
Restoration of the Economy
Both a draft of the budget and an internal memo of Carew's key aims for the economy were circulated, before the Viscount Salisbury wrote and published the March Budget Act on the 12 March, quickly convening a joint session of Parliament to vote on the matter.[41] The Viscount Salisbury also published an announcement from the Treasury, stating that the Act would get "us back on track", while also addressing issues such as existing salaries and income tax.[42] The gravity of the announcement was not lost on the press, with the QHM stating that the results of this economic model "will likely define the Carew Premiership when the history books are written" moments after the budget was made public.[43] In the same article, notable comments were made by Carew's wife and the Home Secretary, Josephine Carew-Grey, who stated that "it is unfortunate the place we find ourselves in to require this broad shift in economic principles" (Carew-Grey was a noted friend of the late Elizabeth Howard-Campbell, the main advocate for the Summer 2023 Budget of "Josinomics"), but that she nevertheless "support[ed] the efforts made by His Majesty's Treasury".[43] Carew was noticably quiet on the issue but did, in the PM Journal for the 13th of March, state that he was present during the drafting and discussion on the budget itself and that he "thanks the members of the Treasury for their hard work."[44]
The Joint Session, a convening of all members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, saw the budget scrutinised and deliberated: Josephine Carew-Grey and Patrick Maniar-Wright both asked questions regarding key initiatives and general calculations of the budget, all answered by the Viscount Salisbury, who Carew considered the architect of this economic model. Carew himself issued a statement halfway through proceedings, once again thanking his team at the Treasury but also stating that he and the treasury would be open to added elements to the economic model in the future, with Carew wary of "overloading the economy" as seen during previous economic models.[45]
On the 17th March, the March Budget Act 2024 recieved Royal Assent.[46]
In PMQs, the issue of Backpay was raised by the Home Secretary, asking whether public officials who worked during the time of the economic freeze would be paid for their efforts: Carew promptly responded, stating that "it is the hope of the Treasury to offer back pay to all public officials during the time that the economy was frozen."[47] Backpay was officially announced by the Chancellor during the normal Declaration Period, whereby all public officials could claim backpay for the previous two sessions.[48]
Residences & Businesses
The Prime Minister engaged in extensive discussions with all members of the Treasury upon his return from Reduced Activity, charged with discussing businesses, fees, and other matters regarding residences: he announced this in a weekly update, saying he'd undertaken discussions with the Chancellor, the Economic Treasury, some of his special advisors, and the Governor of the Bank of England.[49] Due to these discussions the decision was taken to not charge business setup fees to try and encourage growth: Sterling Chester Bank returned, Carew set up his own business known as Knightstone Publishing, and the King revived his businesses under the Commonwealth Group. Furthermore, residence fees were also reintroduced in order to create and incentivise cash flow.[50]
Domestic Policy
Marsham White Paper
The Marsham White Paper was a a document written by the Home Secretary, Josephine Carew-Grey, to address issues of the Home Office, most notably issues of recruitment and retention. It was first announced on the 7th March 2024 via a twitter post, stating that it would be submitted to the Home and Public Administration Committee of the House of Commons for deliberation and also published in the Home Office itself.[51] It was commended in the committee by its members. Some remarked within the Committee that the new influx of potential positions proposed by the White Paper could lead to a "super ministry", but no such move has occurred.[52] The only appointments have been those of new recruitment officers, and the inclusion of Patrick Maniar-Wright as Minister of State for Development (in the Home Office).[53]
Recruitment & Retention
On 10 March the Home Secretary opened applications for Recruitment Officers, citizens willing to recruit for the region.[54] Furthermore, a new welcome telegram - a revised version of the original that fell out of fashion during the Premiership of the Earl of Stirling - was introduced.
Wembley Park Initiative
For more information on the Sporting Organisations, see: RAC Formula 1.
The Wembley Park Iniatitive was a cultural program designed to create a forum presence for the Region's Sporting Organisations.
Carew had been formalising the idea of a forum-presence for Sporting Events for some time and submitted his Bill, the Sporting Organisation Act 2024, to the Clerk of the Commons on the 6th March. The Bill in question contained provisions for the establishment of both the Football Association and the Royal Automobile Club as administrative bodies for the Football and Racing Leagues, while also establishing Wembley Stadium. It also contained provisions for new sports initiatives, provided they were approved by HM Government. It passed the Commons on the 10th March. In the Lords it saw significant amendment, mostly proposed by the Viscount Douglas, though in private channels Carew supported the move and discussed the proposals in detail with Douglas. The act, following this, saw little movement or debate in the Lords, much to Carew's annoyance. It did eventually pass, being sent back to the House of Commons just before the prorogation of Parliament on the 25th March.
However, the Bill was refused assent due to legislative errors during the amendment process, rendering the act impractical.[55]
National Gallery
The National Gallery is a Regional Institution established for the purpose of the preservation of art and portraiture both significant and sentimental to the Citizenry of the Empire. The National Gallery Act, written by Carew, was submitted to the Clerk of the Commons on the 10th March.[56]
Debate was opened on the 5th April, and quickly the Bill recieved widespread support. The Right Honourable Member for Exeter did suggest an amendment to reduce the Governments influence within the National Gallery, something Carew supported and later adopted to the bill by striking a clause (3.3.1.) that would allow the Government to veto any appointments to the Board of the National Gallery by its Chairman.[57] Various other members of Parliament expressed their support, as did The Duke of Warwick in the Strangers Gallery.[58]
Mousing Department
The Mousing Department was founded by Carew during his time as Secretary of State for the Home Office and as such he was pleased to have his feline friend, Tiff, as Chief Mouser.[59]
Collapse of the Concorde Coalition
Despite an agreement in principle regarding the BLP-Designate taking over for the following term, internal discussions turned to the possibility of Carew serving a second term. Carew had originally considered one term enough, and worried about the potential of burnout, but by April he was considering the possibility of a second term, if it was needed. These opinions were placed at an open meeting with the BLP, alongside an effective amendment of the Concorde Agreement. Disagreements soon emerged about how this could be achieved: the BLP were more than happy for an amendment to continue the agreement, and support the BLP in return later on down the line, but the Herons preferred a more flexible, term-by-term basis. Ultimately, the meeting escalated and the two parties stormed out, with the BLP forming an Opposition.[60] The Herons were effectively a Minority Government, but the new Leader of the Opposition, Lady Knightstone, said that they had no intention of calling for a Vote of No Confidence in the Government.[61]
Carew was torn as to whether or not to run for a second term but ultimately decided to stand for the Premiership once more, running against the new BLP-Designate, his wife, the Baroness Knightstone.[62]
May 2024 General Election
Main Article: May 2024 General Election.
Departure from the Heron Party
The split of suddenly going from an uncontested election to the prospect of a bitter campaign against the BLP and his wife troubled Carew deeply in private: he lamented to several sources about the prospects; he believed he could win the election but felt the cost was too high, and was honest about this to his wife. Ultimately, he felt it best to leave the Heron Party and found a new political entity alongside his wife: originally named the Unity Party, he soon changed it to the Unionist Party.
Even this was a source of great deliberation for Knightstone: he considered the Herons his home politically and was, he considered, a close friend of Party Chair, William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas. Ultimately, his desire for a second term and an easy election prompted him to make the decision he made. It also prompted him to begin writing his memoirs about his time in Downing Street, titled "The Downing Street Years" and was due to be published after he left Office.
Unionist Party
For more information see: Unionist Party.
The Unionist Party was formed on the 1st May 2024, comprising initially of Carew and his wife, before incorporating all former members of the dissolved Heron Party, alongside former BLP member, Patrick Maniar-Wright.[63][64] Others, such as James Forsyte and Sirch Somerset pledged their support to Carew's aim to secure a second term. Due to the effective collapse of the BLP and the Herons, it left the door open for an uncontested election.
Results
On the 5th May 2024, Carew secured the second-highest number of votes once again, with 13/18 (72.22%), second only to James Forsyte.[65] All 5 members of the Unionist Party were elected, forming a majority alongside Forsyte, who Independently allied with the Unionists in a confidence and supply agreement.[66] As such, the Baron Knightstone was invited to form a second successive Government by His Majesty The King, Charles III. [67]
Second Term (5 May 2024 - 1 July 2024)
Cabinet
For more information see: Second Knightstone Ministry.
Carew's cabinet saw wholesale changes from the end of the first Knightstone Ministry, incorporating new and current faces, as well as returning figures who left for the Opposition frontbenches upon the collapse of the Concorde Coalition.
Composition
Carew's cabinet comprised of many of the same faces he had become accustomed too: his wife, at this point Chair of the Unionist Party, returned to the Home Office, but also became Deputy Prime Minister. Their son Owain Carew-Grey also continued in his role as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Lastly, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, James Forsyte, remained at the Treasury as a trusted advisor. Furthermore, Forsyte was also made a Special Advisor to the PM. Patrick Maniar-Wright also returned, though this time he was appointed as Secretary of State for Defence, while also working as an impromptu member of the Foreign Office because of this position. Also in the Foreign Office was Sirch Somerset, Marquess of Lorne, who, despite being a member of the Opposition (he would later renounce his role in the Opposition), remained as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and as a Special Advisor to the PM. William Somerset, The Viscount Douglas also returned as a Special Advisor, but no longer held any other Cabinet position. Two new additions were made to cabinet, the first being that of Frederick Mountbatten-Urquhart, who was appointed as Minister of State for Culture & Development, as well as Minister of State for Military Reform. Tiff the Mouser was also appointed as Minister of State for Administrative Affairs in reference to his long and dedicated service as Carew's loyal feline friend and Chief Mouser. The position is also a reference to Yes Minister, with the shows protagonist Jim Hacker being appointed to the position during the show.
August Lleyton, upon his return to the region and win in the May By-Election via acclamation (as a Unionist Member), was appointed as Chief Secretary to HM Treasury upon the conclusion of voting on the May Budget Act, of which Lleyton had been especially outspoken, both in support and opposition.
Knightstone made several Easter Egg References to TV Shows and Movies via articles and other announcements. Evidently, his aforementioned appointment of Tiff to the position of Minister of State for Administrative Affairs was a reference to Yes Minister, but in an article for The Times (regarding Claregate), his private press secretary was listed as Bernard Woolley, also from Yes Minister.[68] Knightstone made several other references: his Downing Street Chief of Staff was listed as "Leo McGarry", the name of the White House Chief of Staff from the TV Series The West Wing.[69] He also made references to Malcolm Tucker (Chief of Communications for Downing Street in The Thick Of It). in a letter to BBC Editor Charles Wright, regarding a potential strike.[70]
HM Most Loyal Opposition
For the second term in Carew's tenure as Prime Minister, he saw the formation of a formal Opposition. While the previous was formed by the majority BLP following the Concorde Coalitions' fiery dissolution, the Opposition formed during the second term consisted of Elio Somerset, 1st Viscount Salisbury, Leader and sole MP of the Labour Party, alongside Nicholas Carew, the Baron Plymouth ( who happened to be Thomas' brother).[71] The Marquess of Lorne was also a part of the Opposition but in a seemingly informal capacity. Upon the Leader of the Oppositions opening statement, Carew wished Salisbury good luck and said he "looked forward to working with [him] over the following term."[72]
The Viscount Salisbury would soon leave the region to pursue a life of retirement, plunging the Opposition into doubt: the Marquess of Lorne rejoined the Unionists as a result.
Upon the retirement of Lord Salisbury, Lord Plymouth was summoned to the palace on Wednesday 8th May and became the third Leader of the Opposition during Knightstone's Premiership.[73] He would later formally resign from the position just over a week later, following the fallout from the May Budget Act. He would be in informal opposition.
Foreign Policy
Ministry of Defence
For the first time since the Premiership of the Duchess of Edinburgh, the Government had appointed a specific Defence Secretary. In his opening statement, Patrick Maniar-Wright promised meaningful reform with the little powers he had, hoping to boost involvement in Libcord and generally see an uptick in military activity.[74]
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force had previously ebbed and flowed in activity throughout much of its time as the military wing of the region. During Knightstone's first term, he devoted little, if any, time to its management: overseeing the RAF was a Chief of the Air Staff appointed solely by the Sovereign. However, Knightstone's appointment of a Secretary of State for Defence marked a turning point in the perception of the Governments role in the Military. The Defence Secretary had stated that ultimately, his plans relied on several areas: reform of RAF ranks, incentivisation of activity, general re-energisation of RAF leadership, and a boost in advertising and campaigns.[74]
A Bill to reform the RAF was discussed deeply in the Ministry of Defence, and was mentioned by the Prime Minister several times in Updates.[75]
RAF (Constitution) Act 2024
The Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2024 was submitted to the Clerk of the Commons on the 28th May, and detailed plans for an operational Head of the RAF to be appointed by the Sovereign on advice from the Prime Minister: if no such Minister was appointed, their powers would be vested in the Prime Minister personally.[76] The Defence Secretary declared it to be "The First Step in Reform" and thanked the various parties involved behind-the-scenes for their cooperation.[77] It passed the Commons though was criticised for being seen as "rushed" in a Daily Mail Poll.[27] In Weekly Update 13, however, Lord Knightstone refuted these claims, stating that "This Bill, internally, was looked at extremely thoroughly by almost all ministers involved, and various versions of the Bill were introduced internally. The Bill we have on offer currently is the best we could possibly come up with for what we want to achieve and I hope the upper house recognises that this is a sensible bill that puts us on the right track for reforming a key institution in our region."[28]
Knightstone, alongside the Defence Secretary Patrick Maniar-Wright were summoned to the House of Lords on the 18th June to answer questions regarding the Bill.[78] Carew engaged in questions with the Duke of Somerset for the next few days, discussing the parameters of the Bill. They also discussed some of it in the Strangers Gallery, though that was moreso due to the PM apologising for the sporadic replies, due to suffering an early onset of what he suspected was flu.[79] The Bill ultimately failed to be voted through the Lords, with 2 Ayes (HRH The Prince of Wales and Lord Scarborough), and 3 Nays (The Duke of Somerset, Duke of Westminster, and the Earl of Merioneth, the latter casting the deciding vote).[79][80]
Carew expressed his disappointment in a twitter post but thanked the Lords for at least debating it thoroughly.[81]
The Defence Secretary, in what could be described as a "The Thick Of It"-style gaffe, declared in a BBC Interview that the Government had been "rather rash" during the negotiations.[82] The Defence Secretary did reaffirm his support for the policies overall and following the defeat was widely touted publicly as a possible candidate for Chief of Air Staff, with the Sovereign opening applications soon after the Bill was voted down. Sir Patrick was later confirmed as Chief of the Air Staff in the succeeding Premiership.
The results of The Independents tracker poll suggested overall support for the Government and for meaningful RAF reform, with 84.6% agreeing reform was required.[83]
Europeia
Foreign Office negotiations stayed away from Europeia for much of Knightstone's first term, despite the change in Europeia's leadership and a change in administrative guidelines. In late May, the Prime Minister began informal communication with the President of the region, "upc", to wish him luck in the upcoming Presidential Election. Following on from this, there was an unofficial understanding that no formal talks or moves back towards a Treaty would be reached in the foreseeable future, but Knightstone considered still opening channels of diplomacy for the sake of progress and for his eventual successor.[84]
Economic Policy
Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting (OSCAR)
Officially known as the "Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting", OSCAR had previously been introduced during the original restoration of the economy some time in 2021, but fell out of fashion. Knightstone and his Chancellor, James Forsyte, 1st Duke of Warwick, felt that its return would help serve as a useful tool for increasing economic transparency regarding the Government, especially with talks of ways to handle government debt and deficits within the region. Warwick quickly set about implementing it, announcing and introducing it on the 7th May. In a statement, he declared that "This will provide a centralized and increased transparency" of key economic factors.[85] OSCAR itself was released immediately after, covering details of the previous two cycles of the Baron Knightstone's first term as Prime Minister.[86]
May Budget Act
The May Budget Act 2024 was a piece of economic legislation designed as the next step on from the restoration of the economy overseen by Lord Knightstone via the March Budget Act at the beginning of his first term. Carew promised this in his re-election campaign.
Introduction
The May Budget Act had been something vigorously discussed in internal Government Channels as soon as the new term started: all members of the Treasury (Knightstone, the DPM, the Chancellor, and the Governor of the Bank of England) contributed to debate and the writing of an Act mostly compiled by the Chancellor, which was introduced in a joint session on the 14th May. The emphasis was placed on various new initiatives and tweaks: the Poll Tax on residences was finalised at £1000; the interest rate was dropped to 0.5%; subsidies were interested for news articles and other scholarly writing pieces; the enshrinement of OSCAR into the Treasuries day-to-day business; collecting all personal income, not just salaries; and finally the institution of a framework for Government Bonds.[87] Furthermore, the Bank of England would begin to collect interest on its significant budget, effectively - alongside implemented increases in taxes - would wipe out the deficit.
The deficit itself had been a topic of controversy, with prominent economic analysts in the region such as the Leader of the Opposition (the Baron Plymouth) and the DPM discussing the need for reducing it: in private, Carew was less worried about its short-term impact, his focus initially being on the passing of his much-needed National Gallery and Chequers Act. Nevertheless, the Chancellor and Carew saw the need for responsible deficit management and saw about figuring out ways to minimise it. Ultimately, the interest collection alongside provisions of debt accumulation if more money was printed (not needed due to the Bank of England budget surplus) would wipe out the average deficit of a singular pay cycle.
The Duke of Warwick, Chancellor of the Exchequer, expressed his pride and commitment to the new Act in the Opening Statement of the joint session:[88]
...I rise today to outline the Government's economic agenda for the months ahead through the newly proposed May Budget Act 2024. This bill builds upon the fiscal reset initiated under the previous March Budget, while instituting key some new policies to promote sustainable growth and productive private/civic activity. The March Budget took difficult but necessary steps to realign personal accounts and reset the economic scales to a more realistic foundation after the economic freeze. The May Budget represents the next phase - providing a roadmap for revitalization through strategic policies balanced with prudent fiscal management. Central to this new Budget are provisions to incentivize an engaged citizenry and nurture a vibrant marketplace of ideas...
The Chancellor continued, summarising following his introduction of the changes:
The roadmap laid out in this Budget promotes an economic environment where entrepreneurial spirit can flourish, socioeconomic mobility is achievable through honest hard work, and our cherished institutional strengths are preserved for future generations therefore commend this May Budget to the Joint Session. Through sustained implementation of these policies, transparency in economic reporting, and a collective commitment to fiscal sustainability alongside productive private and civic engagement, a future of broad-based economic renewal and abundance remains an achievable goal.[87]
Opinions and Results
The Leader of the Opposition expressed his support in principle for the Budget but still felt the problems surrounding the deficit had not been sufficiently addressed, declaring that "Whilst I commend the efforts of His Majesty's Government to seek out new sources of revenue, I cannot support a budget which continues to risk running such a sizable deficit."
The MP for County Clare, August Lleyton, expressed his support as well but also expanded on several issues he had: firstly, he believed that both Chequers and official Royal Residences (and in extension, the Crown Estate), should not be exempt from taxation and other levies and fees. Furthermore, he took issue with the timings surrounding seizing the funds of former citizens and the time between the removal/renunciation of citizenship and the seizure of said assets if not covered by an official Will.
The Chancellor and the Prime Minister himself addressed several of these issues: the PM promised that Chequers would have to be paid for, and promised to do it himself, with or without the said provisions of the act. The Crown Estates would also be provided for. Timings were also analysed for non-citizen funds. However, the Prime Minister was also absent from much of the early debate, owing to IRL issues, and was limited in his scope regarding early amendments.
One notable amendment was "5.2", in which the Government would commit to paying interest on any debts incurred by printing money. Originally it was amended out of the Bill, but quickly re-entered the Bill following assurances by the Prime Minister. Furthermore, he announced that a backstop, or backup idea, would be introduced in that the deficit had the possibility of being paid for by interest on the accounts held by the Bank of England, if the Treasury deemed it necessary.[89] The Prime Minister also shot back at the Leader of the Opposition who stated that the Government taking funds from citizens who had lost their citizenship after a certain period of time, was like the Treasury "plundering the[ir] graves".[90] Carew said that the statement was "verging on the hyperbolic".
Further discussion regarding the deficit and irregularities regarding the budget of the Royal Household and just how much funds the Bank of England was in possession of turned the Joint Session into a long, drawn-out process.Moreover, the Government faced split opinion over the idea of reducing the Bank of Englands overall budget. This was packaged as an amendment and voted on by the Joint Session, with it ultimately being rejected: the Prime Minister abstained from the voting on the amendment. However, he voted Aye to the full Budget, which passed.[87]
Ex Parte Nicholas Carew, re: May Budget Act 2024
The Leader of the Opposition submitted a legal question to the Royal Courts of Justice on the 15th May, outlining whether or not the allocation of non-citizens funds to the Bank of England was legal or not. The Prime Minister expressed his presence and appointed James Forsyte, the Chancellor and an experienced barrister, to be the legal counsel of the Government.[91]
Following an escalation of tensions in the Strangers Gallery from various figures (the Prime Minister was absent), the Leader of the Opposition withdrew the court case.[91]
Impact of the Budget
The Budget was described by some as "the first crisis of the Knightstone Premiership": for a Prime Minister so notably visible and active, his absence cost the Government clarity and consideration during the Budget. Coupled with an Opposition opposed to various reforms mentioned and general debate over the economy, there were fears at one point of the Government not being able to enforce the vote with its backbench MPs, though this was ultimately never a reasonable possibility.
The Opposition formally disbanded following the fallout from the Budget and the percieved escalation from the policies discussed. Nicholas Carew would remain in informal opposition for the remainder of the term.
Despite this, the Governments handling of the economy was percieved as positive during mid-term polling. For instance, the Daily Mail polls suggested 90% satisfaction with Economic Policy.[27]
SMAUG Act
The Strategic Management of Abundant Unused Gains Act 2024 was a Bill submitted to the Commons in the wake of debate during the May Budget's Joint Session, regarding reducing the Bank of Englands' reserves from £26 million to just 10% of that, in line with the numbers overseen during the Economic recalibration in Knightstone's first term.[92] The Prime Minister was conspiciously absent for much of the debate, while unrest brewed in the Commons. The Act was proposed by the Deputy Prime Minister, and supported by the Chief Secretary to HM Treasury, alongside several others including the former Leader of the Opposition. Conversely, the Chancellor himself was bitterly against the decision and the Prime Minister had privately expressed reservations.
The Prime Minister, in his first contribution to the debate, apologised for his absence, and proposed the Governments position that they would accepta 50% reduction in reserves, down to £13 million, one that Knightstone declared as "...a willing, sensible, and suitable compromise that serves to reduce the reserves to a more meaningful number, while also maintaining a healthy balance that can act as a failsafe if anything cataclysmic happens deficit wise."[92] The amendment was accepted, and the Act passed from then on without much issue, onto the Lords. The Lords ultimately passed the compromise bill and it recieved assent on the 12 June.[93]
The Tax Cycles
Tax Cycles, per the Budget Act, also included a Poll Tax of £1000 per residence, meant to incentivise forum posting and to encourage people to post regularly in their residences, with 5 posts per cycle (a calendar month) allowing an exemption, provided they were of sound and proper quality and enhancement to the region (this was specified due to historical use of private boards to post simple messages to ensure a suitable post-count every month. It was also used as a moneymaking scheme).
Businesses & Residences
The removal of Business permit fees to set up press and other businesses saw a general uptick in media organisations.[87]
Domestic Policy
The Home Secretary, a returning Josephine Carew-Grey, Baroness Knightstone, published her opening statement on the 5 May 2024 from 11 Downing Street, since she was also serving in the senior office of Deputy Prime Minister. She candidly addressed the formation of the Unionist Party and the hurt it may have caused others due to its sudden formation, especially within the British Liberal Party, but assured the public that the decision made by her and the Prime Minister was not in vain.[94]
Recruitment & Retention
During the previous Premiership the highest the nation count onsite ticked up to was 198, but soon it reached over the 200 mark upon the beginning of the second term of the Knightstone Premiership. The Summer Slump began to tick away at overall NS Nation Counts but the region remained active throughout Knightstone's tenure in 10 Downing Street.
"Great British Bake Off"
The Great British Bake Off was a Government Initiative from Downing Street to celebrate culinary and cultural diversity within the region, via the posting and sharing of recipes, ideas, and native cuisines.[95] Carew submitted his recipe for a Victoria Sponge Cake, alongside discussion on how to make the perfect icing sugar. Others such as the Duke of Warwick, Patrick Maniar-Wright, and Josephine Carew-Grey all contributed.
Honoured Citizens Act
The Statesmen's Aisle and Honoured Citizens Act 2024, referred too more commonly by the Prime Minister as the Honoured Citizens Bill/Act, was a piece of legislation designed to replace the Citizen of the Month initiative Carew had reintroduced during his time as Secretary of State for the Home Office. Effectively, a Joint Session of Parliament would meet to deliberate a PMs candidate for "Honoured Citizen", someone deemed worthy of being immortalised with permanent citizenship without nation or posting requirements, unless they left the region or refused it. Any departing Honoured Citizen or "posthumous Honoured Citizen" would recieve a painting or art installation in Westminster Abbey to commemorate them.
It was submitted to the Clerk of the Commons on the 22 May 2024, and was accompanied by the update "Honouring the Imperial Family" from 11 Downing Street, by the DPM & Home Secretary.[96][97] However, in the original edition remained some more contested parts regarding specific citizenship amendments that some MPs took chagrin too. The Bill was tabled so that the Home Office could deliberate whether to amend the original bill or write a second Bill offering more comprehensive amendments to go alongside the Honoured Citizens Act. This Bill was written but the PM ultimately stated that he wanted to see the Bill passed before the end of the term and the easiest way to accomplish this was to scrap the more controversial parts, so that the meaningful cultural benefits it gave would not be lost in its bureaucracy. The DPM addressed this in a Second Update from 11 Turing (Downing) Street, remarking that:
When we last left off, I had announced that I had submitted the "Statesmen's Aisle and Honoured Citizens Act 2024" bill to the Clerk's Office. The bill received some debate and feedback within the House of Commons before the Home Office decided to table the bill in favour of fixing some provisions within the law. However, as the Home Office drafted a new bill, it turned into a repeal and replace of the Citizenship Act (2022) and, after consultation with the Prime Minister, we decided we need a larger mandate on this topic before proposing it to Parliament. As such, we removed provisions regarding citizenship in the "Statesmen's Aisle and Honoured Citizens Act 2024" bill and re-submitted it to the Clerk's Office a few days ago. I hope to see it pass as we return from the parliamentary holiday.[98]
This Bill passed the Commons without complaint, and came into debate in the Lords immediately after the RAF Bill was voted down.[99] The Lords remarked that the Bill had their upmost support.
Ex parte Secretary of State for the Home Office, re: Voluntary Relinquishment of Citizenship
Kitsune deCoppice returned to the region on the 3 June; a former MP and member of the region, he was quickly accepted but a few days after their return, Kitsune made sexist remarks in the Strangers Gallery, ultimately resulting in a call for a ban and Kitsune deleted their account, but hadn't formally withdrawn citizenship.[100] As a result, the Home Secretary asked for clarification on how this could be interpreted.[101] The Courts, overseen by the Lord Chief Justice Alistair S.R. Grey, 1st Baron Helmsdale, ultimately ruled in the Governments favour.[102]
National Gallery
The National Gallery is a Regional Institution established for the purpose of the preservation of art and portraiture both significant and sentimental to the Citizenry of the Empire. The National Gallery Act, written by Carew, was submitted to the Clerk of the Commons on the 10th March.[56]
Debate was opened on the 5th April, and quickly the Bill recieved widespread support. The Right Honourable Member for Exeter did suggest an amendment to reduce the Governments influence within the National Gallery, something Carew supported and later adopted to the bill by striking a clause (3.3.1.) that would allow the Government to veto any appointments to the Board of the National Gallery by its Chairman.[57] Various other members of Parliament expressed their support, as did The Duke of Warwick in the Strangers Gallery.[58]
Owing to regional law, any Act must be passed through both Houses in a single session: despite being passed without fuss through the Commons, the Bill duly returned on the 8th May, albeit with a flawless pass of ayes through the House of Lords.[103] The following day, the act duly passed through the Commons easily, with 7 ayes.[104] It recieved assent on the 12th May.
The National Gallery was opened on the 17th May by Knightstone in his capacity as Chairman of the National Gallery.[105] On the 22nd he then announced a series of appointments to the Gallery, with both Josephine Carew-Grey, Baroness Knightstone and Frederick Mountbatten-Urquhart being named curators, while Tobias, Prince Royal was announced as the Royal Patron of the Institution.[106]
On the 10th June the first ever exhibition was released, with John, Prince of Wales as the subject.[107] It drew widespread praise from various figures such as the Duke of Warwick and Mr. Wright.[107][108] Furthermore, the Prince of Wales sent a letter of thanks personally to the Prime Minister and to the Gallery via Downing Street, remarking that "The exhibition, The Grand Old Donk of Cornwall, includes many lovely paintings both posed and from photographs by your good self and I am honoured to be the first person featured in the National Gallery."[109]
Wembley Park Initiative
Following the failure of the first act, Carew quickly rewrote the Bill and resubmitted it - this time, armed with knowledge of what was liked about the first bill, it was even more warmly recieved by both Houses and scythed its way through the Houses with minimal fuss, finally recieving assent on the 24th May.[110] On the 30th May, Carew announced the finalisation of this long-term project, stating that it gave him a sense of "great personal pride."[111] In it, he announced that Charles Wright, the original founder of the Football League would be appointed as Chairman of the Football Association, while Knightstone himself would become President of the RAC.[111]
Royal Automobile Club
Main Article: Royal Automobile Club.
The Royal Automobile Club was officially established on the forum on the 30th May, following its creation as a board at the same time as the FA. William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas designed the advanced "website" and formatting for the RAC, considered one of the best feats of template formatting at that time in the Empire.[112] In his opening statement as President of the RAC a day later, Knightstone considered the RAC's creation one of his proudest personal achievements.[113]
No longer will the Royal Automobile Club be a pipe-dream or an off-the-cuff remark, but it will be the engaging governing body of Motorsport here, and not just Formula 1. Nor will it be just the legislative arm, decreeing technical regulations and reprimanding teams for backhand deals and sneaky engineering innovations. Indeed, the RAC will serve as the hub for news, announcements, and editorials relating to the rich and varied world of motorsport all of us here at the RAC wish to create.[113]
Knightstone later finalised Governance of the RAC on the 1st June, reaffirming his position as President and announcing John, Prince of Wales as Patron.[114]
Football Association
The Football Association was founded on the 30th May, and put under the stewardship of its original founder, Charles Wright. Carew announced as such in a special Downing Stree Press Memo, describing Wright as "the perfect figure to drive forward the FA... and I look forward to seeing what he can accomplish."[111]
Chequers
Main Article: Chequers.
A previous attempt to create Chequers was made during the Premiership of the Duchess of Edinburgh.[115] Ultimately, it was tabled by its author, the Prime Minister herself, due to concerns regarding the permit fees and the estate that was to come with the property of Chequers, effectively creating more income for the PM on top of their official salary. Carew, however, believed that the residence of Chequers could be useful as a holiday residence for the Prime Minister and so began drafts for a new act during his time as DPM under the Viscount Douglas.
Debate began during the 31st Session, with the bill ultimately recieving assent on the 12th May.[116]
Knightstone commissioned GB Designs to do the graphics for the residence, personally paying the money for it himself.[117] Furthermore, as per the May Budget Act, Knightstone paid the Poll Tax for Chequers.[87]
The first post from Chequers was "An Introduction to Chequers" on the 28th May, a short statement by the Prime Minister. He stated that "I hope that its life, its very existence, serves as a memorial and as a reminder of the sacrifice and the hardwork that comes with the privilege of being Prime Minister. I hope that all of my successors find solace, comfort, and homely support from these sacred walls."[118]
Notable Domestic Events
VE Day
The 8th May, otherwise known as Victory in Europe Day, was commemorated with an official memorial service at the Cenotaph, attended by the Prime Minister, along with over senior Government officials and the Royal Family. The Prime Minister was present to lay a wreath on behalf of his family personally and for the official office of the Prime Minister.[119] Soon after, he published a special statement from Downing Street commemorating the event:[120]
Overall, the sacrifice of so many secured the world that we now prosper in; without the hard work, the contributions and the self-sacrifice, our systems of democracy, freedom, and our basic human rights would have been in tatters. We owe them all a great deal, and with small gestures such as remembrance this VE Day, we can at least thank them for all they did. - The Prime Minister.
The Media
Opinion and Election Polls
An explosion in private media and a revival in the fortunes of the BBC coincided with the traditional time for mid-term polling, and as such several press organisations correlated polls relating to Government performance and public opinions, both on past performance over the term and looking towards the suspected July Election.
The BBC were the first to announce a poll, doing so on the 31st May and leaving it open for 72 hours.[121] The Independent followed soon after, announcing their own polls on the 3rd July.[122] Finally, The Observer released one on the same day, relating to impact voting for the upcoming election.[123]
The Poll conducted by the British Broadcasting Corporation provided evidence of general satisfaction in the Government, averaging a 7.2/10, while Carew personally as Prime Minister recieved the highest numbers in cabinet with an 8.9/10[124]. He recieved the same for his contributions in Parliament.[124] He was described by one anonymous comment as a "great PM let down by his cabinet", something he said was unfair, since "the overall ratings of myself and my Government could not be possible without the hardwork, dedication and consistent support of a Cabinet I would argue is one of the best I've ever seen here." [124]
Much of the following Polls conducted were regarding the upcoming election, something Carew was understandably less invested in than before, but his Premiership remained in good stead. The Daily Mail conducted their own poll regarding both voting intentions and the work of the Knightstone Administration, on the 15th June.[125][27] The support shown for the PM was reinforced with this poll, with him being considered the front-runner for being re-elected at the next election, as well as with general support for him and his Government. Despite the slowdown in foreign affairs and the controversy caused by the economic discussion and debate early on in the term, the Premiership was still considered a success.[27]
"Claregate"
Claregate was a small and unfortunate incident arising from the election of August Lleyton following the retirement of Elio Somerset, 1st Viscount Salisbury. Winning the May By-Election by acclamation, the former and prominent MP for Stirling decided to run for a new seat, County Clare. However, the Prime Minister - a close colleague of Mr. Lleyton and former member of his cabinet - could not remember the name of the new constituency at the time and so, for ease of communication, had to refer to him as "My Right Honourable Colleague August Lleyton".[126] The Speaker asked for better protocol, something Carew accepted, but the Leader of the Opposition remarked that the Prime Minister would be more inclined to remember if the constituency in question was in England and not in Ireland, suggesting the Prime Minister did not have as much time or knowledge on the nation of Ireland when compared to the other Home Nations.
The Irish Times on the 11th May declared that "Anger has spread across Ireland" following the incident.[127] The Prime Minister, according to insider sources, was said to be disappointed at the coverage but understood the concerns. On the 12th May, The Times published a story outlining the Prime Minister surprisingly going ahead with an informal visit to a truck business in County Galway, Ireland. He spent much of the time there speaking with local residents and business owners. While personally declining to comment on the matter, his personal press secretary, Sir Bernard Woolley, remarked that "the Prime Minister was saddened by recent events and deeply regrets the negative rhetoric surrounding his attitude to Ireland, a place he dearly loves. In fact, he considers it a home away from home."[68]
Lleyton himself sat down for an interview several days after on the 15th with The Irish Times, saying that "I do realize why he got confused though, I think it’s perfectly fair to forget when I’ve represented another seat for so long, even as Prime Minister, that he gets confused."[128]
BBC Strike
The Director-General of the BBC, James R. Kennedy, 1st Baron Scarborough, resigned after 18 months in the position on the 21 June. No official Deputy-Director had been appointed and as such the pay claims of staff could not be processed properly, since they were usually allocated from the Government to the Director-General. While a process to open up applications for Director-General did begin, it was unclear whether such a process would conclude before the pay cycle did. Sir Charles Wright, Editor and the highest-ranking member of the BBC still present, sent a letter to the Prime Minister, stating that he hoped the pay situation would be resolved, but that "the BBC staff have indicated that they may be forced to go on strike if His Majesty's Government can't guarantee the payment of its staff. Such an action would have far-reaching consequences, disrupting the BBC’s operations and depriving the public of crucial news and services at a time when reliable information is more important than ever."[129]
The Prime Minister responded via Malcolm Tucker, his Director of Communications. Tucker, who had to agonisingly refrain from using any profanity, thanked Wright for his letter and said that the pay claim would be looked at, and that the Government would take steps to ensure a timely payment of staff.[70]
Knightstone was asked in PMQs how BBC staff were going to be compensated by Nicholas Burke, Baron Plymouth.[130]
The Home Secretary announced that the Departments allocation would be used for the June Pay Cycle to pay BBC Employees, stating that:
"I make this decision as our writers at the BBC deserve fair and timely compensation for their exceptional work, as it is not their fault a perfect storm of circumstances have made it unduly complicated to activate the funds allocated to the BBC. As the chief department concerned with recruitment and retention, we mark the BBC as a vital institution in drawing and maintaining British Citizens; their contributions to the media culture has been indelible. As such, the Home Office has no compunction about using our allocation in this way as the BBC contributes to a core mission of our department."[131]
Carew only saw the PMQ Question after the Home Office announcement was made, remarking that "I believe the recent announcement made by the Home Office answers this question. For once, there will be no extensive verbiage on my part!"[132] Burke asked another question regarding why the Home Office in particular was paying the aforementioned BBC Wages: Carew responded by discussing the legality of paying someone who was not Director-General and stated that it was an unfortunate and particular set of circumstances that required such an outcome.[133]
Citizenship Applications
During the course of Knightstone's Premiership, several citizenship applications and discussions took place that were of particular note, debate, and discussion.
Charles Wright
For more information see: Charles Wright.
Charles Wright, a former Prime Minister of the region,was banned from the region in early 2023 for percieved transphobic remarks. He attempted to join in the Autumn of that year but was rejected, but made a renewed effort during the end of Knightstone's first term as PM. Knightstone did not know much of Charles but had informally met him when previously a member of the Wright Family, and remembered him for being "a generally charming fellow". His application was rejected but came about with much discussion, with many advocating for his return since he had released a statement saying he apologised for the remarks and had several key figures of the region vouch for him. Originally, this coincided with the applications of fellow former Citizen, August Carew-Grey. The results of these applications sparked calls for a public consultation, but it did not ultimately garner enough votes of support in the alloted timeframe.[134] Knightstone was one of the members who did call for a public consultation.
A second consultation was called for on the 26th May: it recieved enough votes and was put to a Consultation, Knightstone again being a supporter of the consultation.[135] The Consultation saw support from several figures but also reasonable and seasoned debate and some Opposition.[136] Ultimately, the community voted by 2/3s to 1/3 to overturn the administrative decision to reject any application by Mr. Wright.[136] He applied for Citizenship and recieved it quickly soon after, being welcomed back to the region by several members, including the Prime Minister (though this was not unsual for Lord Knightstone, who made a habit of welcoming most new citizens to the region).[137]
Wright would rejuvenate the BBC and justify the Commons voting against its abolishment, and would also join the Knightstone Premiership as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The two would engage in friendly and spirited discussion and various business ventures, with many of Wright's paintings and portraits being supplied courtesy of Carew and his business, Knightstone Publishing.
August Lleyton
For more information see: August Carew-Grey.
August Lleyton, former Prime Minister, was seen as a divisive and confrontational figure when he left the region and his citizenship naturally expired in February 2024. He attempted to return in May, but various citizenship applications were rejected. Ultimately, character assessments from Europeia chief administrators vouched for Lleyton and that his behaviour had changed: Lleyton himself admitted the error of his ways, and ultimately was accepted back into the region.[138]
Legislative Reform
HM Most Loyal Opposition Act
While Opposition Parties were able to be formed in the region, they were not common, nor were they enshrined in law. For many terms, various MPs had proposed a bill to change this, such as the former Duchess of Edinburgh, but had never gotten around to actually writing it up. However, Carew - alongside support from the Countess of Argyll - drafted and wrote a bill in early March, before checking it via his Special Advisors and the DPM, as noted in his journal.[139] Carew submitted the Bill to the Office of the Clerk of the Commons on the 21 March. Debate began during the 31st Session but voting only began on the eve of the new Session. Due to aforementioned rules regarding voting having to take place all within one session, voting eventually recommenced on the 8th May, with an overwhelming majority voting Aye.
The Bill recieved Royal Assent on the 16th May.[140]
None of Carew's three official Oppositions were sworn in or created after the passing of the Act.
Executive (Amendment) Act
One of Carew's Bills that never came to pass, and never even made it to the Clerk of the Commons, was the Executive Amendment Act. The Executive Act 2024, Article 4.00a stated that:
4.00a || The power to draft Orders-in-Council limited to the creation & abolition of government ministries, management of government affairs or internal executive policy. These Orders shall be issued by the Sovereign at the Prime Minister’s recommendation.[141]
This was a departure from the traditional practice of the PM personally issuing Executive Orders, relating to things such as Cabinet Appointments and reshuffles, Ministry creations and dissolutions, and various other matters of executive Ministerial policy. Carew believed this was a noticeable point he wished to remedy but he remarked in his memoirs that "to do so would have thrust a controversial act into the upper house in particular, when I already had meaningful legislation in there already. In no uncertain terms did I want anything controversial even slightly affecting my chances of my other Bills recieving a fair and smooth passage through the lower and upper Houses." All of Knightstone's Cabinet Appointments were issued by OiC (Order-in-Council) via the Sovereign, though he did personally oversee the introduction of the Defence Ministry and the phasing out of the Justice Ministry, both in his second term.
Unionist Party Conference
Information regarding Unionist Leadership Elections can be found at Leader of the Unionist Party.
The Unionist Party began its Mid-term Party Conference at the end of May, though officially the Conference was convened as the "July 2024 Unionist Party Conference." Internal discussion originally began regarding legislative agenda but to many the feeling was that Knightstone would announce his resignation. Privately, Knightstone considered two terms to be enough, and that any more would certainly result in Burnout. Furthermore, he was unsure whether he had both the drive or the motivation to continue beyond the target of two consecutive terms. As a result, in a Party Statement on the 28th May, Lord Knightstone announced he would be resigning as Leader of the Unionist Party officially at the end of the next General Election. His statement in full is below.[142]
It gives me great, inconcievable pride and pleasure to see the Unionist Party in Government, and thriving. We stand for Unity, stability, and progress, and for the freedom of political thought. I have been its first Leader and to be in such a privileged position is an honour, and I thank my Party for the support and the resolve they have shown in backing me not just as Leader of the Party, but as Prime Minister.
I believe that I have the strength, resolve, and knowledge to succeed in being Prime Minister for two full terms. I also believe that the very same strength and resolve I have is telling me that two is enough, however much the records and the statistics shout at me to hang in there. As a result, I have taken the difficult, but probably unsurprising, decision to step down as Leader of the Unionist Party upon the conclusion of this Parliamentary Term and, as a result, my position as the Party's de-facto Designate.
However, despite my own resignation, this does not spell the end of my political journey, nor is this a swansong, a goodbye for good. I intend to support and to continue my efforts in helping the Party in whatever position it ends up in. To that end, I will also be pledging my support to the Leader-Elect of the Unionists, my dearest wife, Josephine Carew-Grey. Winning the Leadership Contest by acclamation, I know that she will serve this party and this region with humility, grace, and strength, continuing the good work that we have begun and taking us to the next level. The Leader-Elect will be making a statement in the near future.
Regardless of what occurs, we remain united. Truly, the only way is UP.[142]
Soon after, internal discussion turned to his replacement, and by late afternoon one was in place via unanimous acclamation: Josephine Carew-Grey, Baroness Knightstone.[143] The Queenstown Herald-Monocle remarked that "The Iron Lady Returns" as its title and leading feature, furthermore analysing that "At the convention, incumbent Prime Minister Thomas Carew announced that he would not be a candidate for a third term in Number 10. As such, it seems likely that Lady Knightstone will be the Unionist's PM-designate at the next general election."[144] It also remarked that the Unionists would face competition from the newly reformed British Federation of Labour, under the leadership of former BLP designate and three-times Prime Minister, Kathrine Grey, 1st Countess of Argyll.[144][145]
The Party Conference was officially closed by Carew on the 11th June, with conversations regarding the party slate, platform, manifesto and Leadership all being wrapped up accordingly.[146] Carew also announced that August Carew-Grey, 1st Baron Calder would become Chair of the Unionist Party upon Lady Knightstone becoming Leader, while Owain Carew-Grey would become Chief Whip.
Departure
In the run-up and during the July Election, Carew not only campaigned for re-election but also bid several farewells and made multiple concluding statements in his various different capacities.On the 24 June he released "Weekly Update 14", the last weekly update of the Premiership: in line with previous editions he chose a quote from a political sitcom as the subtitle, deciding on "I'm bored of this, I'm going for a twix" as the curtain call on his weekly updates, one ironically used in the show by a departing MP.[147]
On the 27 June The Baroness Wilton formerly took over as Leader of the Unionist Party, stating as such in a twitter post.[148] Carew discharged a final statement as Party Leader soon after, describing his time as Leader as such: "It has been a great pleasure and an even greater honour to serve this party as its first leader, and it is my hope that whether I am prominent in the party or not, it lives on for many elections to come."[149]
His final Cabinet Meeting was on Saturday 29 June, in which Carew thanked his Ministers for their unwavering support and hard work.[150] HM Government also released a picture of Tiff, Minister of Administrative Affairs and Chief Mouser, to mark the occasion.[150]
Final Statement
On Sunday 30th June, at 7.30pm GMT, the Prime Minister made his final statement from 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister. His speech, poignant and yet amusing, gave thanks to all of his Cabinet Ministers and colleagues.[151] He highlighted three figures in particular, the first being his predecessor, William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas, the second being HM The King and the last his wife and DPM, Josephine Carew-Grey, 1st Baroness Wilton. He mused about the successes and failures of his time in Office and above all, left a single piece of advice that was "to keep calm and carry on... keep on working".
His statement in full is below:
Four months ago, I addressed you as Prime Minister for the very first time. In that address I laid out a vision, a plan for rejuvenation and for the betterment of this region, and I promised to you all only one thing: that I would work night and day, work myself down to the bone if necessary, to get the job done, and to do it properly. To restore the economy, to create cultural and domestic opportunities, to increase the power and prestige of our foreign affairs and to ensure that I left Downing Street, and this region, in a better place from where I found it.
Four months later, I stand before you as Prime Minister for the very last time, and I can say that we did it. The economy is back as a manageable creation of economic opportunities for individuals and businesses. Our region is more prosperous than ever before with an explosion of companies and press organisations, while we've seen the steady renaissance of an active onsite presence for the first time in many, many months. We've seen the introduction and establishment of long-lasting institutions, such as the National Gallery, the Football Association and the Royal Automobile Club. We've pushed through for foreign policy successes, such as with the Treaty of Osborne and our constant communication with new and existing diplomatic partners. Legislative changes have been made to ensure the security and protections of things integral to our region, such as the formation of HM Most Loyal Opposition, and the recognition of citizens with our Honoured Citizens Act. By no means were these things the only fruits of our labour, nor, must I admit, did I ever accomplish everything on my long list. Ultimately, we strived for perfection, knowing full well that perfection is impossible. Nevertheless, there is never any harm in trying.
That aim for the very best we could do, it would not have been possible without the abundance of support, hardwork and advice of so many people. Firstly, I give my thanks to someone who I consider my political mentor, advisor and a close confidant, but above all else, a wonderful friend, unafraid of telling things as they are. To the Viscount Douglas, your contributions to this Premiership, while unassuming and in the background, have been invaluable, and my time spent serving under you has contributed to my own personal successes. Truly, thank you. Secondly, I'd like to take the time to thank His Majesty The King: the very definition of an omnipresent advisor, always willing to listen and to inspire, to encourage and to help, it has been a great honour to have served as the first elected PM during his reign and as his second Prime Minister over all. Of course, there's one other person who I owe particular thanks too, and that's the Baroness Wilton, my dearest wife. The McGarry to my Bartlet, the Appleby to my Hacker, the Riggs to my Murtaugh. While partners-in-crime is not an especially flattering term it is one that sums up the everpresent dedication, support and confidence you have provided me: you have been my strength and stay, through thick and thin, mon petit chou.
Lastly, I give my thanks to everyone who served in my Cabinet, from the boisterous Cabinet Ministers to the helpful administrators and civil servants: to Owain Carew-Grey, for your charm and dedication and success in the Foreign Office; to James in the Treasury for your no-nonsense work ethic and friendliness, the likes of which are very rare to find; to Cam for the term or so you served diligently and wonderfully as my DPM and Chancellor, of which you gave it your very all; to Patrick for your legislative wizardry in the Justice and Defence Ministries; to Sirch, (for being Sirch); to Fred and Charles for your diligent hard work in the various departments and for your no-nonsense advice; to John for overseeing the Bank of England and for a passionate defence of both scumble and of our vehicle collections; to everyone I've most likely forgotten to thank; and most importantly, to my dearest Minister for Administrative Affairs, Tiff, who was by far the best Minister I could have ever asked for. I thank you all, because you truly made this Premiership a success.
I will not give you some chronicle or a speech of long and mind-boggling comprehension, but allow me to divulge what I believe is my greatest achievement here: and that is showing that a PM need not be controversial, or radical to find success and prosperity. I affirm that the key is not to be bashful, or to intimidate, or to believe the way forward requires a heavy hand: it is to keep calm and carry on. Keep on working, keep on chipping away and the success will arrive, as long as you put your heart and soul into it. In the same way that many will tell you not be afraid of the bold reforms or the ideas you have, remember that the little things, the simple fixes, can be just as important and just as meaningful. Do not go into the light seeking controversy or a legacy, but simply give it your all: it's all I've ever tried to do in this position, and that is to give it my all, quietly and sensibly. At the end of the day, we're here to do a job and to do it to the very best of our ability.
I vow to thee my country, all earthly things above. Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love. Truly, I have loved every second, and I believe I have done all I can as your Prime Minister: now is the time for me to pass the baton on to someone else who can give this job I have so adored and cherished the same reverence, respect, and dedication it deserves. I doth my top hat to you all, and bid you farewell, for the solace of Devon awaits.[151]
Resignation
Carew formerly went to Buckingham Palace on the 1st July 2024 to tender his resignation to His Majesty The King, who accepted said resignation.[152] The two had tea before Carew departed.
July 2024 General Election
Main Article: July 2024 General Election.
In a statement issued on the 17 June, Charles III outlined the timeline of the election, with the polls closing on the 1 July.[153] The election was contested mainly between the Unionist Party, led by Lady Knightstone, and the newly-reformed Liberal-Progressive Action Party, led by Lady Argyll. The latter was a rebranding and rejuvenation of the British Federation of Labour, with Argyll moving the party towards a cleaner rebrand, as opposed to a return of the former party (the original BFL was a merger between the Imperial Labour Party and the British Workers Party in early 2022).
Polls closed on the 1st July.
The Election resulted in a slim majority for the Unionist Party - supported by the reformed BWP - with Josephine Carew-Grey, 1st Baroness Wilton being summoned to be appointed as Prime Minister, thus ending the Premiership of the Baron Knightstone after 119 days.[154][155]
Assessments and Legacy
Post-Premiership Impact
Several of Carew's initiatives and established institutions remained strong beyond the tenure of his Premiership. Carew himself continued governance of the RAC, having not had the time to contribute to it while in Office and on LoAs, but began the reintroduction of activity in July 2024. The FA and the National Gallery also remained suitably active.
The official formation of HM Most Loyal Opposition via the Act written by Carew preserved and maintained the right to a formal Opposition: the Argyll Shadow Cabinet during the Premiership of the Baroness Wilton was the first Opposition to be formed under the new Act.[156] Its leader, Lady Argyll, introduced an amendment to free the Opposition of its enforced obligation to post in Westminster Hall, instead the Countess of Argyll purchased Spencer House in St. James' for the official long-term use of the Opposition. Carew supported the amendment. The Opposition Act effectively enshrined the rights of the Opposition, and Carew personally considered it one of his best achievements while Prime Minister,.
Carew was the first Prime Minister since Elizabeth Howard-Campbell, 1st Duchess of Edinburgh to routinely and religiously use Weekly Updates, and it caught on in the subsequent Premierships of Carew's once again. Despite William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas being the first PM to create the "Journal" format to release information inbetween Weekly Updates and keep the region informed, Carew popularised and weaponised the Journal to both explain key decisions, inject humour and references into his statements, and to generally keep people well-informed. The Leader of the Opposition, Lady Argyll, attributed the idea to Carew upon beginning the practice for the Opposition.[157] Lady Wilton and Lord Huntingdon also utilised the idea during their respective Premierships.
The Wiki Pages Carew maintained during his Premiership were some of the most comprehensive ever created up to that point, fully referenced and annotated with Carew's obsessive attention to detail ensuring almost every element of his Premiership was recorded for future scholars and those interested. The trend caught on with his immediate successor who continued the trend of a more comprehensive Premiership wiki-page. Carew remained unofficially in charge of subsequent Premiership pages, writing the opening blurbs at the top of the page for almost all of them.
Carew's Premiership was seen as a time of general stability, calm, and quiet hard-work, that while not as radical in its reforms as its immediate predecessor and successor, avoided the same level of controversies policy-wise that both did: the only major point of debate and controversy being the May Budget Act and the subsequent SMAUG Act, whereby the PMs conspicious absence let key Government members openly disagree during debate, leading to cyclical and bitter arguments. However, this was seen not as a personal mistake of the PM but overall of Government, and it was still remedied quickly with a compromise to the Bills, mostly proposed by the Prime Minister upon his return. His aversion to using the whip for any of the Bills also stood in contrast to more authoritarian PMs, with the whip never being formally or officially used throughout his Premiership. Nevertheless, Carew was widely considered a strong PM: murmurs and rumours of a more hardline approach by the Prime Minister to his Cabinet during the Budget debate contributed to a show of force by Carew, who upon proposing amendments to the bill, clearly outlined it as a unanimous Government position.
Such views were held across the political spectrum, even by members of other parties. During the run-up to the August 2024 General Election, an interview of Heron Party Leader (since reformed following its dissolution in May of that year), William Somerset, The Earl of Durham, alluded to Carew and his Premiership. Somerset stated that "the Unionist Party saw a fantastic term under Lord Sidmouth, having come from the Heron Party previously I'm obviously biased towards his success but I'm sure we can all agree on it."[158] He also summed up Carew's leadership as a "no-nonsense no-conflict method of success".[158]
Such a reputation possibly contributed to his sudden and unexpected return to Downing Street as the 31st Prime Minister, following the contentious results of the August 2024 General Election: a hung Parliament resulted in Carew being positioned as a suitable compromise candidate, and he duly served as Prime Minister for 43 days before resigning and advising the calling of a snap election.
Personal Standing
Carew, throughout his time in Office and in all the polls conducted during his second term, rated him as one of, and usually the highest ranked MP, Minister and member of Government. The BBC in their mid-term polling for the 32nd Parliament of Great Britain rated Carew with an 8.9/10, while various pre-election polls almost effectively guaranteed Carew re-election to Parliament if he ran.[124][122] This popularity was not short-lived, with Carew maintaining high approval ratings throughout his time in Parliament beyond his tenure in 10 Downing Street.[159]
Furthermore, a variety of statements, both public and private, seemed to reaffirm a general affection and appreciation for Carew's tenure. His DPM, Home Secretary and wife, Josephine Carew-Grey, 1st Baroness Wilton, continually reaffirmed her position on his Premiership. In her closing statement in those positions, she said "Lord Sidmouth represented the very best of our region and his "keep calm and carry on" attitude healed the government in the very best of ways."[160] She further remarked that "As someone who has played this game for quite some time and likes to believe she knows a thing or two about leadership, I have learned so much from the Prime Minister — lessons I will take with me into my future here and in my life outside the circles of this world."[160]
Another prominent figure who spoke of Carew was James Forsyte, 1st Duke of Warwick, the longest serving elected PM in the regions history and Carew's longest-serving Chancellor. He declared that "Thomas is a great Prime Minister", and that "I have never felt such approachability or ease around a PM like him since I worked with Angus Mountbatten years ago as his Chancellor. I believe I have found a new friend and stalwart civil servant in him."[161]
Charles Wright, Baron Huntingdon declared to the PM that "I thank you for your service throughout the last four months. I have experienced the hardships of the office in the past and I can say, without a doubt, that you have faced and overcome the challenges of the office with more grace and more effectively than I could ever have."[162]
Footnotes
- ↑ [1]2024 Coronation Honours List, 06/04/2024
- ↑ [2]32nd Parliament Honours List, re: Viscount Sidmouth, 23/06/2024
- ↑ [3]Discord, EoGB Announcements, re: Thomas Carew, Twitter, 23/06/2024
- ↑ [4]My Upcoming Leave of Absence, 18/01/2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 [5]A New Chancellor, 23/01/2024
- ↑ [6]New Party Designate, 19/02/2024
- ↑ [7]The Concorde Agreement, 24/02/2024
- ↑ [8]Thomas Carew for PM, 01/03/2024
- ↑ [9]31st Parliament General Election Ballot, 04/03/2024
- ↑ [10]Kissing of Hands - 5 March 2024, 05/03/2024
- ↑ [11]Opening Address of the Prime Minister, 05/03/2024
- ↑ [12]The Royal Household: Cabinet Appointments, Discord, 05/03/2024
- ↑ [13]QHM: Carew's Plan for Government + King in Scotland, 02/03/2024
- ↑ [14]First Update from the Home Office, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [15]The Royal Household - Cabinet Appointment, 24th March 2024, 24/03/2024
- ↑ [16]Journal of the Prime Minister, 9th March 2024, 09/03/2024
- ↑ [17]Weekly Update 1, 11/03/2024
- ↑ [18]Prime Minister's Questions, 1st Session, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [19]Prime Minister's Questions Amendment, 02/05/2024
- ↑ [20]Weekly Update 3, 25/03/2024
- ↑ [21]The Safe Haven (Organic) Act, 08/03/2024
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 [22]Safe Haven Act 2024 (House of Lords), 16/03/2024
- ↑ [23]Safe Haven Act 2024 (House of Lords) 21/03/2024
- ↑ [24]LPAP Chronicle Issue #2: A Save Haven in a Storm, 13/06/2024
- ↑ [25]Recent Developments Regarding Europeia, 06/03/2024
- ↑ [26]Recent Developments Regarding Europeia, 06/03/2024
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 [27]The Daily Mail Polling Results, 15/06/2024
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 [28]Weekly Update 13, 17/06/2024
- ↑ [29]Administrative Request Thread (Talonia), 06/04/2024
- ↑ [30]Foreign Office Update, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [31]London City Airport - Arrival of the Talonian Delegation, Discord, 25/03/2024
- ↑ [32]State Visit: Opening Ceremony, 25/03/2024
- ↑ [33]His Majesty's Retreat to Osborne, Discord, 25/03/2024
- ↑ [34]State Dinner at Osborne House, Discord, 25/03/2024
- ↑ [35]Talonia & The Empire of Great Britain, 27/03/2024
- ↑ [36]Foreign Office - Update 07/04/2024
- ↑ [37]Treaty of Osborne (Talonia) Act, 07/04/2024
- ↑ [38]Treaty of Osborne (Talonia) Act 2024, Voting Results, 14/04/2024
- ↑ [39]The Red Box, Treaty of Osborne (Talonia) Act, 01/05/2024
- ↑ [40]Foreign Office Update, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [41] Joint Session - March Budget Act 2024, 12/03/2024
- ↑ [42]HMT - Economic Reboot, 12/03/2024
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 [43]QHM: Big Elio's Big Budget News, 12/03/2024
- ↑ [44]Journal of the Prime Minister, 13th March 2024, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [45]Joint Session - March Budget Act 2024, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [46]March Budget Act 2024, Royal Assent, 17/03/2024
- ↑ [47]Prime Minister's Questions, 2nd Session, 22/03/2024
- ↑ [48]HMT - Salary Claim and Back Claim, 27/03/2024
- ↑ [49]Weekly Update 5, 15/04/2024
- ↑ [50]Update regarding the Economy, 10/04/2024
- ↑ [51]Marsham White Paper, Discord, 07/03/2024
- ↑ [52]31st Session - HPAC Committee Floor, 09/03/2024
- ↑ [53]First Update from the Home Office, 13/03/2024
- ↑ [54]Registration Papers for Recruitment Officers, 10/03/2024
- ↑ [55]The Red Box, Sporting Organisation Act 2024, 01/05/2024
- ↑ 56.0 56.1 [56]National Gallery Act (Clerk of the Commons), 10/03/2024
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 [57]National Gallery Act, 05/04/2024
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 [58]Strangers Gallery, Discord, 06/04/2024
- ↑ [59]Journal of the Prime Minister, 10th March 2024,10/03/2024.
- ↑ [60]Dissolution of the Concorde Coalition, 22/04/2024
- ↑ [61]Formation of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, 23/05/2024
- ↑ [62]Onto the May 2024 General Election, 26/04/2024
- ↑ [63]The Future of the Heron Party, 01/05/2024
- ↑ [64]Founding Statement from the Leader of the Unionist Party, 01/05/2024
- ↑ [65]32nd Session General Election: The Phantom Menace | Ballot - Results, 05/05/2024
- ↑ [66]Agreement of Unionist Support, 02/05/2024
- ↑ [67]Kissing Hands - 5 May 2024, 05/05/2024
- ↑ 68.0 68.1 [68]"Claregate" fails to deter the Prime Minister, The Times, 12/05/2024.
- ↑ [69]Journal of the Prime Minister, 23rd May 2024, 23/05/2024
- ↑ 70.0 70.1 [70]Letter to the Prime Minister regarding potential BBC Strike, re: Downing Street response, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [71]Summons to Buckingham Palace - 5 May 2024, re: Lord Salisbury, 05/05/2024
- ↑ [72]Second Opening Address, 05/05/2024
- ↑ [73]Summons to Buckingham Palace - 9 May 2024, re: Lord Plymouth, 09/05/2024
- ↑ 74.0 74.1 [74]Opening Address of the Secretary of State for Defence, 06/05/2024
- ↑ [75]Weekly Update 8, 13/05/2024
- ↑ [76]Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2024, Clerk of the Commons, 28/05/2024
- ↑ [77]The First Step in Reform, 29/05/2024
- ↑ [78]Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2024 (House of Lords), 17/06/2024
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 [79]Discord, Strangers Gallery re: Duke of Somerset, RAF Bill, 20/06/2024
- ↑ [80]Discord, Strangers Gallery, re: Earl of Merioneth, RAF Bill, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [81]Discord, EoGB Announcements, re: Lord Knightstone, RAF Bill, Twitter, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [82]Interview with the Defence Secretary, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [83]The Independent Tracker Poll #2 (17-20th June) + Results, re: Issues, 23/06/2024
- ↑ [84]Journal of the Prime Minister, 25th May 2024, 25/05/2024
- ↑ [85]Announcement: Launch of OSCAR, HMT, 07/05/2024
- ↑ [86]OSCAR, HMT, 07/05/2024
- ↑ 87.0 87.1 87.2 87.3 87.4 [87]Joint Session, May Budget Act 2024, 14/05/2024
- ↑ [88]Joint Session, May Budget Act, Chancellor's Opening Statement, 14/05/2024
- ↑ [89]Joint Session, May Budget Act 2024, PM Statement, 15/05/2024
- ↑ [90]Joint Session, May Budget Act 2024, Leader of the Opposition Statement, 15/05/2024
- ↑ 91.0 91.1 [91]Ex parte Nicholas Carew, re: May Budget Act 2024, 15/05/2024
- ↑ 92.0 92.1 [92]SMAUG Act, 16/05/2024
- ↑ [93]Strategic Management of Abundant Unused Gains Act 2024, re: Royal Assent, 12/06/2024
- ↑ [94]Opening Address of the Deputy Prime Minister, 05/05/2024
- ↑ [95]The Great British Bake Off, 12/05/2024
- ↑ [96]Honouring the Imperial Family, 22/05/2024
- ↑ [97]Statesmen's Aisle and Honoured Citizens Act 2024, 22/05/2024
- ↑ [98]Second Update from 11 Downing Street, 09/06/2024
- ↑ [99]Second Edition, Statesmen's Aisle and Honoured Citizens Act 2024, 04/06/2024
- ↑ [100]New Application, 03/06/2024
- ↑ [101]Petition for Legal Question, re: Voluntary Relinquishment of Citizenship, 07/06/2024
- ↑ [102]Ex parte Home Secretary, re: Voluntary Relinquishment, 08/06/2024
- ↑ [103]National Gallery Act, House of Lords, 06/05/2024
- ↑ [104]Voting Results, LD - National Gallery Act 2024, 09/05/2024
- ↑ [105]Opening Statement from the National Gallery, 17/05/2024
- ↑ [106]Appointments to the National Gallery, 22/05/2024
- ↑ 107.0 107.1 [107]Gallery Exhibition of HRH The Prince of Wales, 10/06/2024
- ↑ [108]Charles Wright, gb-chat, Discord, 10/06/2024
- ↑ [109]Message of Thanks, 10 Turing Street Letterbox, 10/06/2024
- ↑ [110]The Red Box, Sporting Organisation Act 2024, 24/05/2024
- ↑ 111.0 111.1 111.2 [111]A Sporting Update, 30/05/2024
- ↑ [112]RAC || Homepage, 30/05/2024
- ↑ 113.0 113.1 [113]Welcome to the Royal Automobile Club, 31/05/2024
- ↑ [114]Governance || RAC, 01/06/2024
- ↑ [115]Chequers Court Estate Act 2023, 28/05/2023
- ↑ [116]The Red Box, Chequers Act 2024, 12/05/2024
- ↑ [117] GB Designs | Place an Order, 16/05/2024
- ↑ [118]An Introduction to Chequers, 28/05/2024
- ↑ [119]Laying of the Wreaths, VE Day Service of Remembrance, 08/05/2024
- ↑ [120]VE Day Statement, 08/05/2024
- ↑ [121]Opening Mid-Term Polls: A Measure of Public Sentiment, BBC Polls, 31/05/2024
- ↑ 122.0 122.1 [122]The Independent Tracker Poll, 03/06/2024
- ↑ [123]The Observer - Polls #01, 03/06/2024
- ↑ 124.0 124.1 124.2 124.3 [124]Mid-Term Poll Results of the 32nd Session of Parliament, BBC Polls, 03/06/2024
- ↑ [125]Daily Mail Election Poll, 12/06/2024
- ↑ [126]Parliament Amendment (Writ Timeframe) Act 2024, 30/04/2024
- ↑ [127]The Irish Time || Outrage as PM Fumbles Clare Constituency, 11/05/2024
- ↑ [128]The Irish Times || Exclusive: August Lleyton Speaks Out, 15/05/2024
- ↑ [129]Letter to the Prime Minister regarding potential BBC Strike, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [130]PMQs, re: Nicholas Burke, BBC Pay, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [131]Paying Our BBC Employees, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [132]PMQs, re: Thomas Carew, BBC Pay, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [133]PMQs, re: Thomas Carew, BBC Pay 2, 22/06/2024
- ↑ [134]Petition for Public Consultation, Re: Recent Cit. Denials, 01/05/2024
- ↑ [135]Petition for Public Consultation, Re: Cit. Den. of Charles, 26/05/2024
- ↑ 136.0 136.1 [136]Public Consultation | 26 May 2024, 26/05/2024
- ↑ [137]Citizenship Application for Charles Wright, 28/05/2024
- ↑ [138]August citizen app, 04/05/2024
- ↑ [139]Journal of the Prime Minister, 9th March 2024, 09/03/2024.
- ↑ [140]HM Most Loyal Opposition Act, Assent, 16/05/2024
- ↑ [141]The Executive Act 2024, 18/12/2023
- ↑ 142.0 142.1 [142]Statement from Thomas Carew, Leader of the Unionist Party, 28/05/2024
- ↑ [143]Statement from the Leader-Elect of the Unionist Party, 28/05/2024
- ↑ 144.0 144.1 [144]QHM: The Iron Lady Returns & King in Mexico, 28/05/2024
- ↑ [145]The Charter of the British Federation of Labour, 28/05/2024
- ↑ [146]Conclusion of the June 2024 Party Conference, 11/06/2024
- ↑ [147]Weekly Update 14, 24/06/2024
- ↑ [148]EoGB Announcements, Discord, re: Baroness Wilton, Unionist Party Leader, 27/06/2024
- ↑ [149]Statement from the Viscount Sidmouth, Unionist Party, 27/06/2024
- ↑ 150.0 150.1 [150]EoGB Announcements, Discord, re: Viscount Sidmouth, Cabinet Meeting, 29/06/2024
- ↑ 151.0 151.1 [151]Final Address of the Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, 30/06/2024
- ↑ [152]The Final Audience with the Prime Minister, Throne Room, 01/07/2024
- ↑ [153]Onto the General Election, 17/06/2024
- ↑ [154]Kissing Hands - 1 July 2024, Throne Room, 01/07/2024
- ↑ [155]Coalition Agreement between UP and BWP, 01/07/2024
- ↑ [156]Summons to the Palace - 1 July 2024, Throne Room, 01/07/2024
- ↑ [157]Journal of the Leader of the Opposition, 05/07/2024
- ↑ 158.0 158.1 [158]Interview with the Heron Party Leader, BBC Parliament, 16/08/2024
- ↑ [159]33rd Session Mid-Term Poll Results, 02/08/2024
- ↑ 160.0 160.1 [160]Closing Statement and Reflection, 11 Turing Street, 26/06/2024
- ↑ [161]Treasury End of Term Address, HM Treasury, 30/06/2024
- ↑ [162]Final Address of the Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, re: Charles Wright response, 30/06/2024