Devvy
Donor
I think in the long run, and post airline-deregulation, there'll be a lot more holiday makers going to Malta, Seychelles, and the West Indies on holidays instead of Spain as you say. On the flip side; Spain & Portugal are still going to be interesting destinations for lots of families on price grounds - closer (so cheaper flights), and cheaper way of life.Interesting chapter.
I wonder how much Callaghan decision was will be lauded as good in the long term when Brits can fly or sail to the UK in the hot, hot Caribbean sun? Should have an impact on Spanish package holiday's, ditto Malta!
How much is pop culture changed by the influence of the new UK regions? Is reggae and ska coming over sooner?
With the US not as friendly to the UK this should massively impact the effects of US TV shows and movies coming to the UK, esp in the 60's onwards. Does the UK see Dragnet, Battlestar Galactica, Dallas, etc?
How about computing? I could see the UK/Commonwealth having a stronger native computing environment from having to build their own kit- this should have an economic impact. Sure, the 70's would still be bad, it was globally, but it should not be anywhere near as terrible as OTL.
Given changed circumstances I can actually see Thatcher, monetarism, and the destruction of the UK industrial base being avoided.
As for culture, I think it'll take some time to change. There was already the Windrush generation of immigrants from the West Indies to the UK; I don't think there will be a massive influx of immigrants yet in this TL, but the anti-racism seeds will be sown a little earlier with the likes of black people playing in the English football team, publicly visible black MPs from the West Indies debating in Parliament will be a tad earlier.
With regards to the cultural stuff; I don't see the UK and US being enemies or anything - just not quite as close as OTL. Maybe more like France-US or Germany-US - in this TL, US-UK relations are warm, respectful - they both know they need each other (the US is needed in NATO, and the UK is needed as an anchor for a west-leaning Europe). They just aren't quite as "special" as OTL - there's no nuclear sharing here, but there will still be extensive combined military training exercises and operations, signal intelligence will likely be shared (if Aus and NZ can share stuff on this level in OTL, then this TL UK will be able to). The UK will just be a tad more wary that sometimes US and UK interests do not align exactly, and the UK will need to act without the US, and so won't be quite so attached at the hip to the USA.
The whole film & television market is likely going to happen anyway - it's the same language (more or less!), and so stuff is going to easily hop back and forth across the Atlantic.
The computing bit - yeah I can see a load of butterflies there. To be honest, you could easily end up with separate "internets" - one driven by US technical standards, and one driven by European technical standards, with some kind of gateway interface between them. I've been doing a lot of reading on Minitel (and Prestel) lately .
Hmm with all these overseas territories RN with something like the Rivers or Frigates and RFA maybe more New Fort Class ships or smaller stores there will be bigger also probably more Martime and transport aircraft under devlopment for the RAF.
Malta already has a regiment as does Bermuda have to wonder if what left of the Caribbean territories will get a regiment or will the larger islands get a territorial company.
The West Indies will almost certainly be able to support at least a regiment, similar to Malta, and would be needed anyhow for local operations. As for the military, I have a chapter dedicated to that coming up.
Thinking about it, sport in the UK is going to be a lot of fun - would the FA Cup include teams from Scotland, NI, Wales, Malta etc?
Cricket tournaments will be epic competitions.
Would the Olympic Committee insist on a joint UK team?
For sport, you'll have the West Indies as a home nation, and there are some other butterflies to come. I'd just point out that the FA Cup is still an English only competition even in OTL - each Home Nation has their equivalent cup competition.
England (which includes Wales in cricket) vs West Indies will be the grudge cricket match here.
For the Olympics, there is already a joint UK team (which is why we don't enter the football tournament at the Olympics) - the biggest change here will be that they even more publicly won't be able to use the "Team GB" name. It'll be "Team UK" under the British Olympic Association, and will represent all of GB, NI and the Overseas.