NEW LEAD SWORD SELECTED
Each year the Grand Duke appoints a person to be his Lead Sword. The role is a largely ceremonial one but in theory acts as a conduit between the Grand Duke and the Ducal Council or Parliament of Swords This year Sir Kenneth Matthews was selected. The 54 year old is a former member of the elite Horseman of Jekar Regiment and has served for the past five years as a Special Adviser for the Ministry of Defence. Sir Kenneth is a native of Edwinstowe where he resides with his wife Carolina. The couple have two children, 24 year old Adam and 19 year old Sarah.
A short swearing in ceremony took place at the Temple of Frossaj during which Sir Kenneth said, "I'm proud to have been given such a role. While I realise that I have nothing but a symbolic role within the government I am, as ever, proud to serve the Six Dukedoms. I look forward to working with all those working directly for the Grand Duke and those elected onto the Ducal Council and Parliament of Swords." The role of Lead Sword allows Sir Kenneth to be the only person to attend the Grand Duke's Private Council, Parliament of Swords and the various Ducal Councils. One of his symbolic responsibilities will be to convey pieces of legislation between the three bodies as well as escort the Grand Duke to state functions. In the past Lead Swords have also taken on the responsibility for acting as a host to visiting dignitaries.
The previous Lead Sword was Duke Elliot Larkwood who has confirmed that he will be retiring totally from public service and joining the board of directors of Bakkermaya's National Rugby Board.
ANNAT PARTY WIN MAYORSHIP The town of Bingham on the island of Harby yesterday held elections for the position of Mayor. The role gives the holder control of the local town council and responsibility for some day to day duties such as road maintainance, building permits and licencing of such things as alcohol and gambling. The election saw five political parties stand candidates as well as two independents. The winner of the election was Crispian Darrell who represents the Ancestoral Nationalist Party, abbreviated to ANNAT. Mr.Darrell received 36% of the total vote with a turnout of around 46%. Speaking after the confirmation of the result the 41 year old said, "I am delighted to be the first member of our party to hold any position within the Bakkermayan system of government. We've only existed three years and we've seen growth year on year. It is our ambition to get 5% of the seats in the Parliament of Swords elections in the summer."
The Party was founded in 2020 by Jeanette Arrington, a lecturer in Cultural Studies at Wellow University, with the aim of establishing "ever closer ties to our ancestoral homeland of East Moreland." The Party has a manifesto which calls for the Six Dukedoms to pursue a course of alignment with East Moreland laws and policies after which the nation should seek to make the monarch of East Moreland the Head of State of Bakkermaya with the Grand Duke acting as a more traditional Governor role. A Seventh seat in the Ducal Council would be formed with a representative of East Moreland sitting in it. At the moment Miss Arrington has suggested that seat be filled by Princess Rhiannon when she comes of age. "We have seen how in places like Hozland a small title is given to the heir to the throne as a kind of recognition of what they will one day be. I couldn't imagine being prouder of having the heir to the homelands throne be the Seventh member of the Ducal Council and assume a title in accordance with that." The Party believes that Bakkermaya was founded on the principles of loyalty to the throne of East Moreland and that the strength of the Cult of Helus and its associated faith of Helusan within the Six Dukedoms should be built upon. Miss Arrington has stated, "While the islands are home to those who trace their ancestory to Lodja and Paracambi it is true that the heart of the Six Dukedoms is the mainland. The islands became outposts to help defend that. We have seen how our homeland accepts all religions while honouring Helus above all so can it be here in Bakkermaya. My dream would one day to be able to consider myself not just a citizen of Bakkermaya but the citizen of a wider East Moreland. Northfort is the craddle of our people and every right minded member of the Cult would wish to be part of it." The Party currently has around 92,000 members on its Twitter page and has been growing slowly over the last few months. Polls suggest if elections were run tomorrow the party would gain one seat in the 180 seat Parliament of Swords.