Mark Rawlton

Mark Rawlton
Minister without Portfolio
Assumed office 31/11/18
Predecessor	Office established
Successor	Incumbent
Dunelm Council Majority Leader
Assumed office 05/06/18
Predecessor	Office established
Successor	Incumbent
Dunelm Council Member for Palatinate Hill
Assumed office 05/06/18
Predecessor	Office established
Successor	Incumbent
Born	Durham, United Kingdom
Citizenship	Sorrenian British
Political party	New Monarchists
Residence	Durham, Dunelm
Religion	Agnostic

Alias

It is a political norm in Sorrenia to adopt an alias, utilising a pseudonym and alternative portrait. Rawlton uses an image of the Italian politician Beppe Grillo; like Grillo, Rawlton is a self-identified populist.

War of the Sorrenian Succession

Mark - like many other Sorrenian politicians - fought in the War of the Sorrenian Succession, and was instrumental in retaking core areas in Dunelm for the New Monarchists, whom he fought for.

His participation in the war made him a popular monarchist figure, although several compatriots criticised Mark for his supposed recklessness, and unwillingness to abide by wider Royal Army orders.

Nonetheless, Mark was elected to the Dunelm Council in the prestigious Palatinate Hill borough, in which Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle can be found.

Dunelm Council

Once elected, Mark became Majority Leader on an overwhelmingly New Monarchist council. He sought to secure this electoral lead in the county through acting primarily as a public figure, taking part in several debates, public interviews and newspaper articles.

This immediately made him an infamous figure within the party, although his firebrand style of politics remained controversial, and as a result he was distanced from the New Monarchist inner circle.

This was until the Great Expansion was introduced privately to the monarch by Richard Brooker. Mark's staunch Northumbrianism resulted in his being appointed to the 'Cuthbert Council', a secretive body tasked with securing public and political support for the Great Expansion.

Once introduced to the King's Council, Richard Brooker, Michael Disraeli, Peter Otterson and Martin Aquinas predominantly focused on securing electoral support. As a result, Mark became the central public figure, rallying support within his own Council, and from the general public.

Although remaining controversial, his style won the proposal mass support, and his willingness to vocally attack opponents helped to discredit opposition.

Once the Great Expansion Bill was passed and put into effect, Mark was once again largely excluded from the party machinery, although his position as a key New Monarchist in the public's eyes was secured.

Minister Without Portfolio

After the November general election, the New Monarchists were forced to enter into coalition government with the NDLP; Mark was summarily appointed Minister without Portfolio.

His appointment was seen to be motivated predominantly to secure a majority number of cabinet positions for the New Monarchists, as well as moderate Mark, who had steadily began to publicly criticise the New Monarchist government.

His lack of portfolio positioned Mark more as an adviser to the cabinet and the monarch; nonetheless, his populist style remained unpopular with several of his ministerial colleagues, especially the 'Tory' ministers Michael Disraeli and Peter Otterson, both of whom had previously worked with Mark in the Cuthbert Council.

Parliamentary Results

Election	Constituency		Party	%	Lead	+/-		Nearest Party
June 2018	Palatinate Hill		New Monarchists	66	42	▲66%		NDLP
July 2018	Palatinate Hill		New Monarchists	74	50	▲8%		NDLP
November 2018	Palatinate Hill		New Monarchists	80	56	▲6%		NDLP

Mark Rawlton

Unlike many key members of the New Monarchists, Mark is not generally seen as an avid monarchist; although he supports a continuation of the monarchy, he generally positions himself as a nationalist.

Mark is a key Northumbrianist, and is widely attributed with popularising the ideology amongst the general Sorrenian public. He is also a self-described nationalist, and generally believes in a form of Northumbrianism that places emphasis on its Durham-Tyne-Wear regions.

Mark is perhaps best known as a populist - often speaking against his own party's line, Mark is noteworthy for his willingness to viciously attack political opponents, and at times his colleagues - this practice largely contributed to his appointment to the cabinet, which in turn moderated his language due to Cabinet collective responsibility.

As Mark is generally outside of the party leadership, he is not generally associated with either of the New Monarchist factions.