Miller Challenges Potato for Hexagon
Dateline Asteel Q0 3210.050
Senator Morris W. “Mo” Miller, An Esteeler Senator from Packhard has launched a strong challenge to the Potato electoral steamroller in his ‘storming’ speech at New Gettisbourg (see here for transcript), Miller is a member of a local Packhard party, the Conservative Party of Packhard. Miller is known for an aggressive foreign policy stance. He also has a reputation as a reformer, and deplores the many scandals that he claims Esteeler politics is riddled with. He has criticised Potato’s foreign policy as too closely aligned with the RNV. He voted against removing the three term limit, arguing that repealing it was a blatant power grab by Potato. He also opposes the IFF treaty and the Human League. He is the youngest child in a family of six, of which he is the only Perfect. Before becoming a Senator, he served in the GFA army for five years, although he did not see any action, and was a businessman afterwards. He has a bit of a reputation as an extremist, but is fairly charismatic (though personally he is no Alphie) which gives him a strong base of support regardless, and he is considered by most commentators a competent if not outstanding politician. His upper middle class circumstances have not given him a large amount of self-financing to invest in his campaign, which will rely mostly on donations. The smart money remains with the incumbent – but this outsider candidate is gathering a lot of cross-party support – particularly from those of the Star Party that do not feel their own candidate has the ability to effectively challenge Potato.
FOLLOW INN COVERAGE OF THE GFA ELECTIONS HERE
Trio Face-off
Dateline 3210.021 Trio Q6
Elements of the Earther 6th Colonial Fleet is reported to be ‘facing off’ against elements of the Martian Task Force 6 under Chu-sho Cunningham in the Trio system. Local colonists have mixed feelings – they did initially welcome anti-piracy patrols form both polities – but it seems the military buildup here is about bigger issues.
The Earther claim that they have uncovered a Martian-backed pirate base in this system, and that the MSN forces intend to protect the pirates. According to the Martians the Earther have illegally abducted 47 Martian operatives of a small belter mining operation on one of the system’s moons. Last reports are that negotiations are continuing – but public statements from both the Earther and Martian local governments are bullish. Earth Governor Armstrong’s spokesperson said “We must be tough on piracy, we must be tough on the causes of piracy, and we must be tough on the backers of piracy”.
Meanwhile, Martian Acting Supreme Councillor Marsha Bartley, in a speech to the Q6 Pacifier crew training school, went on record as saying “Those Earther Nazis won’t get away with this, we will fight them if we have to”.
Arms Shipment Recovered
Dateline 3209.386 Organia Q4
The shipment of arms, destined for the Organian Collective Militia that was captured by pirates in the Organian system last octant has been returned to its owners intact.
Although the owners of the shipment, the MARSEC Corporation, will not make public the details, it is clear locally that a substantial ransom was paid, rumoured to be several million credits. The MARSEC Public Affairs Department made a simple statement “The Corporation has successfully completed the recovery of its property from an unlicensed salvage operator, and all employees are safe and sound. Thank you for your enquiry”. It appears that all 21 crew are well, but were unable to comment for contractual reasons.
The Organian Collective are reported to be delighted – “We are delighted, MARSEC are certainly a great company to do business with”. a spokesperson said.
Happy Families?
Dateline Earth Q0
Since the removal of Lee Zhang and the firm return to power of the Imperial Party there has been much quiet jockeying for position amongst some of the families of the Imperial Oligarchs. The most recent such power-play has been by junior members of the First Citizen’s extended family, who have taken advantage of the absence of the First Minister Ashanti to consolidate two new positions within the Imperium.
Last Octant the Deputy Governor of Quadrant Three, Senator Bradaglio, was quietly removed from his office by the IAO following a year long investigation. His replacement was named last week as The Viscount Her Excellency Cynthia van Husen (nee Rathbone), wife of prominent LexCorp official (Dirk van Husen). Cynthia van Husen is the youngest daughter of the First Citizen, but has been out of the public eye for several years since her marriage to van Husen. It is expected that the Governor of Q3 will shortly return to Earth at the end of his tenure, and his Deputy might well be expected to step into his shoes.
And today, following last week’s sudden and tragic drowning of Minister of Trade and Industry and close Ashanti confidante, Senator Wang Xiao, on a fishing trip off Cuba, the Senate voted to install Senator Arthur Conan Rathbone in his place. The new Minister is the eldest grandson of the First Citizen and a regular tennis partner of Foreign Minister Sebastian Rathbone.
Such power-plays within the Imperial Senate are not uncommon, but such a move by members of the First Citizen’s immediate family has not occurred for the last 55 years and has Imperium watchers waiting to see if this is the start of a significant move to further consolidate power for the Rathbones in the absence of Ashanti. The other possibility is that, with the First Citizen’s recent unexplained absence from public ceremony, the Rathbones themselves are jockeying for power to prepare for his passing.
Colonial Referenda and Memberships – from our colonial correspondent
The following colonial worlds are planning referenda: Spuk Q8, Flakey Q6,
Referenda have been held on the following worlds:
World
date
Result – voted to apply to join:
Bushwack Q1
T85
GFA
T20 Q1
T85
Venerian Republic
The following worlds have voted against holding a referenda on giving up their independence: None.
