=The Daily Politics=
...you join us now in the studio after what can only be described, well, as a frankly momentous event in the history of The Vict-er, New Glasgow. We've been bringing you live from Freedom Square the unveiling of the new policies and, perhaps most importantly, the leaders of a movement so long cloaked in shadow and hidden by secrecy. I'm joined now in the Network's exclusive balcony watching proceedings down below by long-time political commentators of the colony, Harrold Milne of the historically Albionist Curran Media, and Jameson Dowall of the more Celticist New Dawn Network.
First, perhaps, we can go over the news headline today, the revealing of the identity of two men we know by their actions, but until now not by their faces, Constantine - now shown as the till-now unnoticed John Logan-Keith, Vice-Head of Procurement Engineering, an astonishing mole that changes how we've viewed events, and the rather shadier Redwallace, the veteran insu-ahm, revolutionary revealed as one-time Lieutenant Captain Samuel T MacKay, presumed dead in the Aurora Incident, let's get another look at them from the rally tonight...
"For there is a clear and overriding moral to our struggle and now our liberation - justice. No man, not I nor you, could stand idly by while we worked to survive together yet a minority elite chose to work to oppress the very people on whom they depended, and who had abandoned the true vision of revolution born in Albion in days gone by - of a just, harmonious society of citizens united in their collective advancement and defence. Never again shall we let ourselves be dictated to by the whims of tyrants. We have raised our weapons, and lower them only in death! Let this be our rallying cry - for all who see the ideal of a free Caledonian republic ruled by her citizens and her citizens alone - they are welcome here!"
Harrold Milne, your thoughts.
"That to me is a very interesting message - we heard much in the last few hours, between bursts of gunfire and applause, of music and chanting, much of the ideals of our new republic which is nothing if not infectious, and I'm sure we'll have much to say on that shortly - yet that powerful image of a republic born in blood opening her arms to our compatriots the previous regime thought undesirable, it is a wonderful thing. I expect we'll see more of it, though it does raise the issue of who exactly one attracts, but it might fit in better with the intellectual revival we've heard of."
Mr Dowall, would you agree? Certainly the speech was full of imagery, much of it powerful... but should we read policy into it?
"Yes I think we should frankly for three reasons. One, this is not a man who speaks lightly, I had the fortune in an intermission to speak with men in the previous administration who've told me that it is very rare for Logan-Keith to express a view, but that when he has done so - as he did, for instance, on forbidding the eugenics experiment on New Marathon prisoners, a policy now much more understandable given his secret membership of such a group - he has pushed for it incessantly. Secondly, this builds upon that intellectual revival, inviting men and women and their families who hate the claustrophobic nature of British politics and society, who long for a freer, more open republic, this builds upon that desire. And thirdly - perhaps as importantly - Logan-Keith is a pragmatist. If we are to build what Harrold might call a New Jerusalem but what I might call a Tìr a' Gheallaidh, then inviting in men who understand our ideals and are willing to fight for this Young Caledonia with their associated expertise is necessary."
Now they have proclaimed themselves and three others the Guardians of the Republic, with a programme outlined to repair the damage caused by the fleeing Britons turning the guns on their own colony, and plans for a citizen's assembly, but I think it's clear that in MacKay, we have the defining force of the defence policy, here's an extract from his own speech:
"We shall not hesitate to bleed for our people and a free citizenry. Saorsa may be our watchword but Saoranaich, too; those who are free, quite literally - citizens. We proclaim to our neighbours our sovereignty and a steady hand of security; yet we shall not hesitate to ensure that in building our future on the Red Planet, we have learnt the lessons of the Blue, and shall never shy from a ready policy of defence. A nation in arms, a colony in assembly, a citizenry in unity."
I'm afraid we've little time left before our broadcast ends due to the energy rationing in this particular compound, but Harrold a quick word?
"Definitely a statement of intent for MacKay's guardianship - I'm sure we'll hear more of what he spoke of earlier, his personal respect for élan and honour, but this is the crux of a defensive polity for the Republic. No more isolationist idiocy, no more obsessive paranoia over every EU, NAU, Russian or Chinese gunship that lands anywhere on the planet; instead a watchful defence and an open mind to securing prosperity for our citizens through cooperation and self-advancement."
Jameson?
"For once I find myself in agreement however, one small point I think that extract exemplifies - that desire to explain the concept of Saorsa, of Saoranachd. These are two words we've heard much of in banned literature, but in MacKay I think there is as much the cultural foundation as the structural foundation he wants to work for this new society."
That's it for the Daily Politics, our new flagship political programme replacing Voice of Britannia, we'll be back tonight on radio frequencies and tomorrow in this studio when the Guardians are sworn in, when we'll have an exclusive interview with Redwallace himself. We apologise for the shorter full-screen programme lengths, but now to your favourite classical music show, on the Red Lion's Red Rock Radio.
