Possible Location of the UK Capital?

[Rainbow Six]

Guys, looking for some opinions here.

As some of you are aware my pet project is my own strictly non canonical take on what the UK looks like in the T2K universe. For the last month or so I’ve been working on a second (and hopefully final) draft of my timeline. Changes are relatively minor, mainly a bit of tidying up here and there, a slightly amended orbat and a reduction of HMG’s strength in the north east.

One thing that I am spending a great deal of time thinking about just now is the location of the UK Capital. From the very outset (a good number of years ago) I have always placed this in Oxford (specifically Balliol College if anyone’s interested...) following the destruction of York in autumn 1998. I like the idea of Oxford as a centre of Government and I like the idea of the dons from the various Oxford colleges forming a sort of impromptu civil service. I also like the idea of the Royal Family occupying Blenheim Palace which is nearby.

However, looking at the number of troops available for internal security and Oxford’s location (it’s pretty much on the edge of the area controlled by the Government in the south), I find myself questioning how practical a choice Oxford is as I think I may be about a Brigade short of what I need to make it work (I currently have three Brigades, with a combined manpower of around 4,500 men).

If I choose to place the Capital south of the M4 corridor that removes the need for a large military presence north of the M4. So what I’m probably looking at is the borders of the territory controlled by HMG being defined (more or less) by the M3 motorway (eastern border), M4 motorway (northern border), and A350 road (western border), with major garrisons in Reading, Swindon, and Warminster who would have clearly defined borders to patrol / defend.

Following that logic Salisbury* would seem to be the most obvious location for the Capital; it’s well away from the border areas and surrounded by Army bases so security shouldn’t be an issue.

It’s going to mean ripping up a pile of work and starting again, but it is making a degree of sense to me…anyone got any thoughts?

Cheers

Dave

(* I know Portsmouth is the Capital in the Survivor’s Guide to the United Kingdom, but as stated I’m not strictly following canon).