InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "ALL HAIL the Glow Cloud."

Gentlewizards and Gentlewitches of Britain, Ireland and the Isles, I have just returned from Platform Nine and Three Quarters at King's Cross Station, where I met the returning Hogwarts Express. I saw happy, excited children meet their families and introduce their friends to them. I saw Muggles and Muggleborns and Purebloods alike, all smiling and anticipating the Holiday season and the comforts of home. That, my friends, is the joy and promise and goal of the incomplete work of building Britain's "New Normal."

When I spoke to you last year, the watchword was "Return to Normalcy", and as good as that is, we have learned in the past year that people want more. They want a better future, a diverse and vibrant culture, a more inclusive, more participatory government, a say in things that affect their lives. In short, they want what my administration will be driving towards going forward, "Building a New Normal".

The first stage in this is upcoming in Scotland, where the wizards and witches of "The Coven of the North" will decide, by referrendum, if they want a special executive for Scotland set up within the ministry, to assure that their needs and special concerns are addressed. As proof of our dedication to openness and participation, my Ministry has pledged to honor the results of the referendum. Make no mistake, Scotland will receive fair treatment either way, but the democratic process will be honored here.

Building a better Britain is a tremendous balancing act that my Ministry is devoted to accomplishing. It is a series of difficult choices every day: Will this change be accepted or do we need to do more to prepare for it first? Are there unexpected costs or harm from making a different change first? Britain is a large ship and steers only slowly. We want the Ministry to be a steady hand at the helm making the changes while helping people adjust to them smoothly.

The government cannot and rightly should not be everywhere. It has always been the British way to encourage those who wish to to be entrepreneurs and make profits on risks they have taken. Our largest industries were once mere ideas in a dreamer's head. Putting the Ministry's assets to work in the best possible ways is a duty we owe all the people of these islands.

I will not tell you pretty things about our economy. We have not yet recovered from the economic impact of a government which was controlled for the benefit of a Dark Wizard's personal good. Tourists avoid Britain still, and our trade dropped precipitously when no one would bring goods into the country. We are recovering, and this year looks more prosperous than last year, but we still have bills unpaid and repairs incomplete.

The Ministry can work to make good the harm done by the illegal ministry we ousted, but it will be slow, and we will have to prioritize who we help first. Helping businesses recover in Diagon Alley, helping people who lost family members and livelihoods, rebuilding our school and our institutions are our first priority.

I want to make a special mention of quidditch and not just because I am a fan myself. Quidditch during the war was played by Ministry orders and attended mostly by those who were 'safe' from arrest and detention. Neither the play nor the results are numbered amongst Britain's finest hours. We must never forget the deeds that were done in our names, by our ministry, to our citizens. And if the BIL can find a way to remember the events without accepting the season as legitimate, this Ministry will support them in their efforts.

Quidditch should reflect the best that Britain has to offer; smart and athletic witches and wizards competing at the tops of their game regardless of their backgrounds to be the best in the world. I expect no less. And in conclusion, I wish Puddlemere the best of luck in the back half of the season.

Thank you for listening, Wizards and Witches of Britain. Together we'll Build a Better Britain.