Corn Laws

David William Oswald Cameron stood patiently on the stage. The election was almost concluded.  With yearly voting since the charter was established in 1852 under Lord John Russell it had been nearly five governments in one hundred and sixty years. The leaders changed, but the makeup was always the same. The Liberals and the Socialists, depending on the level of support one then the other.

The working classes plumped for each in turn depending on the needs of the nation and the promises of the reds.

David thought back to his history lessons and wished for the old days of prolonged government, seven year terms for Members of parliament. As a conservative/fascist he was doomed to always be on the outside of government looking in. Convincing a man it could be better when he already has food and a roof is tricky.

Banking regulated, industry in the hands of the government, a century and a half had made the country rich. Staying the course as other nations rose and fell under dictatorships or communist nightmares, constitutional socialism with a liberal bent, or constitutional liberalism with a socialist bent had retained the Empire and built a superpower.

He couldn’t help thinking there might be a better way. It was what he had signed on believing. Perhaps wealth through an unregulated market could provide greater benefit for the society. With the gap between poorest and richest slim at best in the Empire with only a few who rose higher it would be a way for more to make more, but there would always be consequences.

That was the bet he asked his constituents to take every year he stood, every May fifth when he went to the ballot box. He had been returned seventeen times, but with diminishing returns, he may falter this time.

Johnson was standing against him. A socialist party thinker not in parliament he had been born an American, but believed in Empire. His blonde hair bobbed up and down as they waited for the call. The returning officer to come back and pronounce status quo or all change.

Johnson turned and said something in Latin.

‘Smug sonofabitch’ David thought.