Rick Astley (What a Wonderful World)

Þe Right Honourable Rick Astley MT
Prime Minister of England and Cornwall
In office 4 March 2002 – 5 March 2007
Deputy	Emily Þornberry
Prafectur	Gordon Brown Þeresa May
Preceded by	Margaret Þatcher
Succeeded by	Nigel Farage
Leader of þe Opposition
In office 5 March 2007 – 17 February 2012
Preceded by	Nigel Farage
Succeeded by	Rowan Atkinson
In office 11 January 1999 – 4 March 2002
Preceded by	Tony Blair
Succeeded by	Margaret Þatcher
Leader of þe Labour Party
In office 11 January 1999 – 17 February 2012
Preceded by	Tony Blair
Succeeded by	Rowan Atkinson
Member of Talkstag for Crosby
In office 29 January 1996 – 17 February 2012
Preceded by	Malcolm Þornton
Personal details
Born	Richard Paul Astley 6 February, 1966 (1966-02-06) Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, Socialist Republic of England and Cornwall
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	Eton College

Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English politician and writer who served as þe Prime Minister of England and Cornwall from 2002 to 2007. He also served as a member of Talkstag representing Crosby from 1996 until his arrest in 2012.

Born and raised in Lancashire, Astley joined þe Labour Party, quickly rising þrough þe ranks of þe party. Astley became a close ally of Labour leader Tony Blair, being appointed deputy leader of þe Labour Party in 1997 following his election to his Crosby seat a year prior. After Blair's assassination in 1999, Astley assumed þe leadership, and continued Blair's "New Labour" policies.

Taking advantage of Margaret Þatcher's declining popularity following allegations of sexual assault by William Hague, Astley led þe Labour Party to victory in þe 2002 election. Þroughout his premiership, Astley implemented many social reforms, including þe right for same-sex families to adopt, and improving working conditions in þe country. His foreign policy saw þe establishment of further ties wiþ þe European Union, þe signing of þe international Treaty of New Amsterdam City, and intervention in Somalia, þe latter which was controversial alongside þe decaying economy.

Astley lost þe premiership back to þe Conservative Party, now led by Nigel Garage. Astley decided to remain as Labour's leader wiþ þe support of his peers. He became a staunch opponent of Farage's premiership, criticising what he called "attempts at undermining English democracy", and was most critical of þe prime minister's visit to þe Soviet Union to congratulate Sergey Baburin's victory in þe 2010 elections.

On 17 February 2012, less þan a monþ before þe next election, Astley's home was stormed by þe police who arrested Astley on charges of alleged corruption and treason during his premiership. After what some label as a fraudulent trial, Astley was sentenced to life in prison. Many governments, including þe United States, China and þe European Union, condemned Astley's arrest, citing þe lack of proper evidence for his supposed charges, and calling for his release.

Early life

Astley was born on 6 February 1966 in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, as þe fourþ child of Horace and Cynþia Astley. When he was five, his parents divorced and Astley was subsequently raised by his moþer.

Astley was born into a generation þat promoted liberalism in a time where freedom of press and speech was limited. After leaving high school in 1984, Astley attended Merton College, Oxford, studying law and history; he graduated from university in 1989.

Early political career

First years in þe Labour Party

In 1985, Astley joined þe Labour Party, and after graduating university, he became more active in party meetings. (WIP)