The Third English Civil War

Edward VIII meets with Prime Minister Baldwin to discuss his intent to marry Wallis Simpson. Baldwin indicates that the government will resign if Edward insists on the match. Edward (and here's where it switches from reality) calls Baldwin's bluff, refusing to abdicate or renounce Wallis. Baldwin tenders his governments resignation. Neither leaders of the Liberal or Labour parties will agree to form a government (this had been agreed before the PM's meeting with the King), and so Edward turns first to Winston Churchill, who had been a friend and made pleas in the Commons to give Edward time to come to a decision. Churchill is tempted but recognises that public opinion is turning against the King. He reluctantly refuses. Edward turns then to his close friend Oswald Moseley. Moseley, who has held a government post in the past, becomes Prime Minister. His Fascist politics and the fact that he is not even a member of Parliament let alone leader of the majority party causes outrage. In the Commons most of the left-wing, and a majority of the other members walk out.

In the mean time an emergency meeting of the General Synod is called to discuss the situation. A great number of prelates, led by the newly appointed Bishop of Bath and Wells (Bishop Underhill had moved on in 1937), refuse to recognise Edward as head of the Church since he is marrying a divorcee and a Catholic. These same bishops, and a number of the Lords, refuse to take their seats in the House of Lords. Edward is unwilling to dissolve Parliament and call an election, so Moseley presides over a Rump.

Edward's brothers and their families, unwilling to become embroiled in the political furore, retreat to Canada. South Africa, Australia and most of the other Dominions cede from the Commonwealth. There are major independence riots in India that eventually see the removal of the Viceroy and the end of the Raj.

The presence of a Fascist Prime Minister and an autocratic monarch leads to unrest in the streets as Communist and Socialist agitators march in protest, clashing with fascists. Pro-Parliament and Republican riots break out across the country and Moseley asks Edward for permission to use the army to quell the unrest. Edward is unwilling to do so, partly because he does not want to take the final step of using the army on his own subjects and partly because he does not want to put even greater stress on his relationship with the officer corps, many of whom are already distrusting of his pro-German sympathies. Instead Moseley's government enacts an Emergency Police Powers Act, which sees the creation of units of Auxiliary Constables, the majority of whom are drawn from Moseley's Blackshirts.

A failed attempt to assassinate Wallis Simpson leads Edward and Moseley to declare martial law. England degenerates into armed conflict as the left wing radicals, supported by the Irish Free State and IRA (who support their cause in order to distract the government from their own struggle in Ulster) clash with the Auxiliaries and pro-monarchist forces. By the end of the year England is divided into several camps � Edward's Fascist governmental forces (regular army and Auxiliaires, getting support from Germany), various Republican, socialist, anarchist and Marxist militias (supported by Russia, France and Ireland), and Anti-Edwardian Monarchists including the Anglican League led by the Bishop of Bath and Wells (seeking to force Edward to abdicate in favour of his brother). Add in an independent Scotland, American freebooters (although America doesn't seem to have liked Wallis all that much either) and we're away.