Royal Space Force

2020’s

Political upheaval saw the 2020 general election  split the traditional political parties. Some conservatives wanted to remain in the EU, some wanted to leave; some Labour MPs wanted to stay and some wanted to leave. And so it went on. This general election was about the UKs vote to leave or remain in the EU and that was what the public wanted. The political parties split forming new political groups based on their remain/leave policies. The winner and new Prime Minister was Teresa May, the leader of the Conservative Leave party.
As with many controversial votes there were many protests and violent clashes. But like it or not the UK had voted twice now to leave the EU. Within the 1st month article 50 had been signed and Britain was set to leave the EU in the next 5 years. There was no going back now.
The EU however didn’t want to wait 5 years it seemed. Uncharacteristically of the EU, it acted quickly. France demanded that the UK leave it’s soil where it carries out its border checks. This was then also demanded by Belgium.
In January 2021 the EU demands that all EU countries cease trade agreements with the UK by 2022. All UK citizens living within an EU country will have to have a visa or be forced to leave. Only Ireland refused to comply with this demand. Instigated by North America many of the worlds countries also restricted their trade deals with the UK. With only some of former commonwealth countries refusing to take part.
In the UK this started to have disastrous effects, companies began to collapse and the banks were in crisis. In an effort to control the situation the UK government didn’t wait for the full year. It appeared that the UK was prepared for this. Within the month the UK had effectively shut her borders, both physically and electronically, preventing money and goods from leaving.
March 2021 saw the introduction of the emergency UK Alone Act. This act had many issues covered and had been prepared over the previous years. At its core it offered the following:

• All non-UK nationals currently in the UK were offered British Citizenship.
• All non-UK nationals living in the UK that did not wish to  become British Citizens were given assistance in repatriation to their own country.
• Non-UK companies were to transfer all assets to the UK. There could be no overseas funding.
• Non-UK owned companies were to transfer all of their trading rights to UK owned assets.

UK forces stationed abroad were returned home or transferred to UK overseas territories. The UK would take no part in Foreign policing actions. The Royal Navy was tasked with protecting UK territorial waters and keeping non-UK vessels out.
As this trade blockade spiralled countries that refused to take part found themselves being threated with similar trade embargoes. Australia, Canada, Fiji, and South Africa, eventually had to cease their trade with Britain. Only Ireland refused to back down and joined the UK in shutting down her borders.
By 2022 the United Kingdom and Ireland were effectively cut-off from the rest of the world in less than 3 months. They would have no contact with any other country under any circumstance.

Energy and Oil

Energy would soon become an issue as the UKs oil reserves in the North sea were already running low. The government were asking anyone for ideas. The 15 nuclear power stations could not supply all of the UKs power needs. The oil, gas, and coal power stations were running low on fuel. Wind and other eco-friendly just wasn’t working. It was a small company called Fusion Works, based in Newcastle that had an idea. The design of their new power plant had been on the cards for some time but it had been held back by the big oil companies. It lacked funding for completion but its design and science was sound.
In 2022 construction begins at a decommissioned oil rig in Leman, 30 miles off-shore from Great Yarmouth. Cables were laid in preparation. By the beginning of 2023 the Fusion Works power station began producing power for the UK. It produced far more energy than the UK needed, it was extremely efficient, generated no waste, needed little maintenance, and required no fuel. It was the perfect solution. With the need for the world trade in oil this fusion power generator would never have gotten off the ground. Maybe the embargo was what was needed.

Manufacturing

With the scarcity of many goods the UK needed to increase recycling and improve manufacturing processes. Cambridge university had been looking at nanotechnology for a while and in 2023 they finally developed the first nano-construction facility. It took a year before it was approved for general use. Nanotech is used to break down waste in to its constituent molecules and later the same technology is used to build new items from scratch. RAF Sol is the biggest nano-constructed  fabrication to date. The four SuperCav submarines are probably the most technologically superior constructs.
After 2024 nano-manufacturing became common place with small units in many households and large industrial units place throughout the UK.

Medical

Once the financial and management issues with the NHS had been sorted out. A difficult task. The NHS found that a much slimmed down, more efficient service was what was needed. The new NHS was run by the doctors and nurses with its aim to treat the injured and to promote healing and a better way of life. Many non-essential procedures were cancelled with more effort placed on serious issues.
The introduction of nanotechnology in 2024 brought a lot of changes to medical procedures. By 2027 most disabilities had been cured. Babies were checked and any issues corrected in the womb. Children and Adults could have almost any anomaly corrected over a couple of weeks.

Transport

With many brand new, unregistered vehicles being seized many people obtained a free new car. Previously foreign owned car plants were now in the hands of the senior British workers at the plant. Old British car companies started to find that their vehicles were in greater need.
But with oil running low what was needed was a new fuel source. Land Rover/Jaguar came to the fore with Land Rovers in-hub, wheel electric motors. This coupled with the new Land Rover Defender which had returned from the dead. With a polymer battery body it could travel over 600 miles from a single charge and would also slowly recharge in sunlight. A new era of the motor vehicle had arrived.
Public transport once all electric became free and small less cost effective buses were introduced.

Farming

After the blockade farms had to quickly adapt to the new restricted market. Farms started to grow traditional food stocks again. Selling them in local farm shops, grocers, and butchers.

Politics

Lifestyle

The UK’s lifestyle changed drastically in the 20’s. It had to. Many foods were unobtainable, seasonal vegetables were the norm. Fresh fruits such as bananas were soon out of stock, as was tea and coffee. The UK took on a more of the 1950s eating habit.
What did prosper though were the microbreweries and wine producers. Continental beers soon went out of favour and more traditional brews became common place.
One of the biggest changes was the unavailability of tobacco. Although the UK was a big producer of cigarettes the lack of raw tobacco meant no basic product to produce their goods. The cigarette addicts had to quit whether they liked it on not!

Military

The military had a big change around during the blockade.

Army

The British Army had the biggest change. With overseas policing operations such as Iraqi cancelled the Army had a different task – protection of the UK and her overseas territories. A much slimmed down, and more mobile Army was needed. The Army found themselves working alongside Navy Assets such as Royal Marines.
Britain has 14 British Overseas Territories, these all needed protecting. The British Army was redeployed to many of these territories. Some bases, which were shared with US forces, were completely taken over by the UK. The US not having enough free forces to even attempt to resist the takeover.

Royal Navy

The Royal navy on the other hand had far more work to do! With the UKs enforced blockade the Royal Navy had the entire coastline to patrol. They also had to provide supplies to the UKs overseas territories. For this reason the Royal Navy had the most financial and technological input. New submarines were the most advanced units with the 4 super cavitating submarines; HMS London, HMS Edinburgh, HMS Cardiff, and HMS Dublin kept secret and providing the bulk of the UK’s military might. Many small incursions suddenly found themselves overwhelmed by superior Army units.
The new HMNB Manx is located underwater down river of the Clyde in the Northern Irish Sea. The old nuclear submarines have been retired and now act as a pretence to the new SuperCav subs. Loading Submariners at FAS Lane and transporting them to HMNB Manx were they are transferred.

Royal Air Force

Tasked with protecting UK airspace both home and Overseas. Many new bases were established on the UK’s overseas territories. The RAF were also tasked with supplying these overseas territories. This was made harder by many countries refusing access to their airspace. This required new aircraft to be developed with greater range and capabilities. The RAF were also tasked with the UK’s new Space Force.
Next to HMNB Manx the RAF started their greatest construction yet. The massive RAF Sol. A station so immense it would be the largest manmade object to float in the sky.

Rest of the World

Whilst the United Kingdom evolved within her blockade the rest of the World carried on much as before. In the beginning many countries tried to stop the UK seizing their assets. They retaliated by attempting the same to UK overseas interests. Fortunately for the companies based abroad they were prepared. Many had transferred their goods and finances back to the UK and were in the process of moving when many were taken over and deported.
Many conflicts continued  with the US putting more forces in to the Middle East to fill the UK gap.
Contact was attempted with the UK but no answers were ever received. The only real contact was by vessels encroaching in to UK waters who were quickly escorted away by Royal Navy ships.

Conflict

The 1 day war.

Gibraltar has always been a hot bed for control. Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU and although it is still a UK overseas territory it is still formally in the EU.  Spain decided that on 8th March 2029 at 0800 to invade Gibraltar and return her to Spanish sovereignty. Something Gibraltar didn’t want. The 2nd Infantry Brigade simply marched from Spain to the locked gates at Gibraltar. Cut the locks and marched right in. The British Army units based there providing defence had standing orders not to retaliate, but to immediately surrender. The Spanish command entered the Governors residence and took ownership of parliament by 1100. At 1200 the Spanish suddenly found themselves overwhelmed by superior Irish Guards from HMS Dublin. They were taken in to custody and by 1600 ejected from UK soil. The Spanish couldn’t understand where they had come from as there was only two corvettes anywhere near Gibraltar at the time.

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