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125-396: Tommy Atkins or Thomas Atkins has been used as a generic name for a common British soldier for many years. The origin of the term is a subject of debate, but it is known to have been used as early as 1743. A letter sent from Jamaica about a mutiny amongst the troops says "except for those from N. America ye Marines and Tommy Atkins behaved splendidly". A common belief is that the name

250-626: A BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role nomination. For his portrayal of Jimmy Savile in the BBC drama The Reckoning (2023), he received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor . Stephen John Coogan was born on 14 October 1965 in Middleton, Lancashire , the son of housewife Kathleen (née Coonan) and IBM engineer Anthony "Tony" Coogan. He has four brothers and one sister, and

375-441: A Westminster-style parliamentary system . Bustamante, at the age of 78, became the country's first prime minister. Strong economic growth, averaging approximately 6% per year, marked the first ten years of independence under conservative JLP governments; these were led by successive Prime Ministers Alexander Bustamante, Donald Sangster (who died of natural causes within two months of taking office) and Hugh Shearer . The growth

500-628: A two-party system , with power often alternating between the People's National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The party with current administrative and legislative power is the Jamaica Labour Party, after its 2020 victory. There are also several minor parties who have yet to gain a seat in parliament; the largest of these is the National Democratic Movement (NDM). The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF)

625-460: A British national treasure and the Guardian described him as "one of the greatest and most beloved comic creations of the last few decades". Partridge is credited with influencing cringe comedies such as The Inbetweeners , Nighty Night and Peep Show . In 2001 a poll by Channel 4 , Partridge was voted seventh on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters . Paul Calf began as

750-504: A Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The infantry regiment contains the 1st, 2nd and 3rd (National Reserve) battalions. The JDF Air Wing is divided into three flight units, a training unit, a support unit and the JDF Air Wing (National Reserve). The Coast Guard is divided between seagoing crews and support crews who conduct maritime safety and maritime law enforcement as well as defence-related operations. The role of

875-565: A Slave (2013). Coogan's autobiography, Easily Distracted , was published in October 2015. In 2016, after Henry Normal stood down, Christine Langan (head of BBC Film at the time) was hired by Coogan (creative director of Baby Cow Productions) as the new CEO; this led to BBC Worldwide increasing its stake to 73%. Since joining, Langan has executive-produced all of the content from Baby Cow Productions, including Camping , Stan & Ollie , Zapped and The Witchfinder . Coogan played

1000-471: A car mechanic who eventually married Pauline. Paul supports Manchester City and is very partial to Wagon Wheels . He wears Burton suits, sports a bleached mullet hairstyle, and drives a Ford Cortina . Pauline Calf's Wedding Video won the 1995 BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy. Other Coogan creations include Tommy Saxondale, Duncan Thicket, Ernest Eckler and Portuguese Eurovision Song Contest winner Tony Ferrino. Duncan Thicket has appeared in

1125-535: A character named 'Duncan Disorderly' in Coogan's early stand-up routines. Calf first came to wider public notice in 1993, with several appearances on Saturday Zoo , a late-night variety show presented by Jonathan Ross on Channel 4. Paul has appeared in two video diaries, an episode of Coogan's Run , and in various stand-up performances. He is an unemployed Mancunian wastrel with a particular hatred of students. His catchphrase, spoken to disparage something or someone,

1250-564: A consecutive win occurred for the JLP was in 1980. However, the turnout at this election was just 37%, probably affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Jamaica is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy . The head of state is the King of Jamaica (currently King Charles III ), represented locally by the Governor-General of Jamaica . The governor-general is nominated by

1375-489: A daughter from a previous four-year relationship with solicitor Anna Cole. Although raised Catholic , Coogan is now an atheist. A motoring enthusiast, he has owned a number of Ferraris , but ceased after calculating that the overall costs exceeded those of running a private plane. In February 2016, he was fined £670 and banned from driving for 28 days after being caught speeding in Brighton . In August 2019, he escaped

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1500-707: A day's work," and died shortly after. According to the Imperial War Museum, this theory has Wellington choosing the name in 1843. According to J. H. Leslie, writing in Notes and Queries in 1912, "Tommy Atkins" was chosen as a generic name by the War Office in 1815, in every sample infantry form in the Soldiers Account Book , signing with a mark. The Cavalry form had Trumpeter William Jones and Sergeant John Thomas, though they did not use

1625-597: A decline in support for the Seaga government, exacerbated by criticism of the government's response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Having now de-emphasised socialism and adopting a more centrist position, Michael Manley and the PNP were re-elected in 1989 , winning 45 seats to the JLP's 15. The PNP went on to win a string of elections, under Prime Ministers Michael Manley (1989–1992), P. J. Patterson (1992–2005) and Portia Simpson-Miller (2005–2007). In

1750-509: A directly elected House of Representatives. Andrew Holness has served as Prime Minister of Jamaica since March 2016. As a Commonwealth realm , with Charles III as its king , the appointed representative of the Crown is the Governor-General of Jamaica , an office held by Patrick Allen since 2009. The indigenous people , the Taíno, called the island Xaymaca in their language , meaning

1875-481: A dysfunctional alter ego. In 1992, Partridge hosted a spin-off Radio 4 spoof chat show , Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge . On the Hour transferred to television as The Day Today in 1994, followed by Knowing Me, Knowing You later that year. In 1997, Coogan starred as Partridge in a BBC sitcom, I'm Alan Partridge , written by Coogan, Iannucci and Peter Baynham , following Partridge's life in

2000-589: A federation of several of Britain's Caribbean colonies . Membership of the Federation proved to be divisive, however, and a referendum on the issue saw a slight majority voting to leave. After leaving the Federation, Jamaica attained full independence on 6 August 1962. The new state retained, however, its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations (with the British monarch as head of state) and adopted

2125-499: A free teaser episode where Partridge commented on the coronation of Charles III and Camilla . In April 2022, Coogan began an Alan Partridge tour, Stratagem . Reviewing the show for the Guardian , Brian Logan noted that though Coogan had once tired of Partridge, he now "clearly takes pleasure in the performance". Coogan starred in the 2022 film The Lost King , playing the husband of the writer Philippa Langley , who discovered

2250-615: A handful of their famous routines, which today mostly play as mild yet expertly timed delights." For his performance, he earned a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role . In 2019, Partridge returned to the BBC with This Time with Alan Partridge , a spoof of magazine shows such as The One Show , followed by an Audible podcast, From the Oasthouse , in 2020. The podcast has now run for three seasons, including

2375-723: A high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s, there is a large Jamaican diaspora , particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The country has a global influence that belies its small size; it was the birthplace of the Rastafari religion, reggae music (and such associated genres as dub , ska and dancehall ), and it is internationally prominent in sports, including cricket , sprinting , and athletics . Jamaica has sometimes been considered

2500-499: A letter defending Corbyn, describing him as "a beacon of hope in the struggle against emergent far-right nationalism, xenophobia and racism in much of the democratic world" and endorsed him in the 2019 general election . In December 2019, along with 42 other cultural figures, he signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party in the election. The letter stated that "Labour's election manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership offers

2625-535: A mark. Leslie observes the same name in the 1837 King's Regulations , pages 204 and 210, and later editions. Leslie comments that this disproves the anecdote about the Duke of Wellington selecting the name in 1843. Richard Holmes , in the prologue to his 2005 book, Tommy , states that: Atkins became a sergeant in the 1837 version, and was now able to sign his name rather than merely make his mark. The Oxford English Dictionary states its origin as "arising out of

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2750-508: A miniature Roman general figure, alongside Owen Wilson 's Jedediah, a miniature cowboy figure. In 2007, Coogan played a psychiatrist on Larry David 's Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO , and in 2008, starred in the BBC1 drama Sunshine . In March 2008, it was confirmed that Coogan would return to doing comedy as part of his first stand-up tour in ten years. The tour, named "Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge and other less successful characters", saw

2875-495: A pilot taking Lou and Andy to Disneyland. Coogan has played himself several times on screen. First, in one of the vignettes of Jim Jarmusch 's 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes , alongside Alfred Molina . Second, in 2006 Coogan starred with Rob Brydon in Michael Winterbottom 's A Cock and Bull Story , a self-referential film of the "unfilmable" self-referential novel Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne . In

3000-650: A republic with a president. Jamaica's current constitution was drafted in 1962 by a bipartisan joint committee of the Jamaican legislature. It came into force with the Jamaica Independence Act, 1962, which was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom , which gave Jamaica independence. The Parliament of Jamaica is bicameral , consisting of the House of Representatives (Lower House) and

3125-506: A result of this incident Golding resigned and was replaced by Andrew Holness in 2011. Independence, however widely celebrated in Jamaica, has been questioned in the early 21st century. In 2011, a survey showed that approximately 60% of Jamaicans believe that the country would have been better off had it remained a British colony, with only 17% believing it would have been worse off, citing as problems years of social and fiscal mismanagement in

3250-571: A roadside hotel working for a small radio station. It earned two BAFTAs and was followed by a second series in 2002. After I'm Alan Partridge , Coogan tired of Partridge and limited him to smaller roles. Coogan said he did not want to say goodbye to Partridge, and that "as long as I can do my other things, that, to me, is the perfect balance". He later said that Partridge had once been an " albatross " but had become "a battered, comfortable old leather jacket". Critics have praised Partridge's complexity, realism and pathos . Vanity Fair called him

3375-399: A series of shorts, Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge , written with new writers Rob and Neil Gibbons . It was followed by the spoof memoirs I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan (2011) and Nomad (2016), the feature film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013), and several TV specials. In his memoir, Coogan wrote that Alpha Papa was the hardest he had ever worked and that

3500-601: A teacher that it could lead to a precarious profession. After five failed applications to various drama schools in London , he received a place at the theatre company New Music before gaining a place at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama , where he met future collaborator John Thomson . Coogan began his career as a comic and impressionist , performing regularly in Ipswich , before working as

3625-482: A tour of live shows. Coogan, along with his writing partner Henry Normal , founded Baby Cow Productions in 1999. Together, they have served as executive producers for shows such as The Mighty Boosh , Nighty Night , Marion and Geoff , Gavin & Stacey , Human Remains and Moone Boy , as well as the Alan Partridge feature film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa . They have also produced Where Are

3750-599: A transformative plan that prioritises the needs of people and the planet over private profit and the vested interests of a few". In September 2023, Coogan addressed the Liberal Democrat Conference by video link, expressing that he would tactically vote for the Liberal Democrats over the Labour Party in the 2024 general election , as "the candidate best placed to kick the Tories out is

3875-621: A voice artist for television advertisements and the satirical puppet show Spitting Image . In 1988, he provided vocals for the acid house record 'Don't Believe the Hype' credited to Mista E. The record peaked at number 41 in December 1988, narrowly missing the main chart rundown. In 1989, he appeared in a series of specially shot sketches in the Observation round in the long-running ITV game show The Krypton Factor . In 1992, Coogan won

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4000-518: A year while waiting to be rescued. One and a half kilometres west of St. Ann's Bay is the site of the first Spanish settlement on the island, Sevilla , which was established in 1509 by Juan de Esquivel but abandoned around 1524 because it was deemed unhealthy. The capital was moved to Spanish Town , then called St. Jago de la Vega , around 1534. Meanwhile, the Taínos began dying in large numbers, both from introduced diseases and from enslavement by

4125-466: Is "Bag o' shite ". Paul lives in a council house in the fictional town of Ottle with his mother and his sister, Pauline Calf (also played by Coogan). His father, Pete Calf (played by Coogan in Coogan's Run ) died some time before the first video diary was made. For a long time he was obsessed with getting back together with his ex-girlfriend, Julie. Paul's best friend is "Fat" Bob (played by John Thomson),

4250-466: Is a World War I medic who says his name is Tommy Atkins. Steve Coogan plays this character in the 1995 film adaptation . " Tommy cooker " was a nickname for a British soldier's portable stove. Jamaica Jamaica ( / dʒ ə ˈ m eɪ k ə / jə- MAY -kə ; Jamaican Patois : Jumieka [dʒʌˈmie̯ka] ) is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and

4375-401: Is an English comedian, actor, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for creating and portraying Alan Partridge , a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality, which he developed while working with Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris on On the Hour and The Day Today . Partridge has featured in several television series such as I'm Alan Partridge (1997–2002) and

4500-482: Is controlled by a handful of tax shy billionaires with an agenda. Anyone who stands up to the press is attacked by them because they're bullies." He added "the fact that Meghan Markle and Harry were attacked has nothing to do with jet-setting hypocrisy. It's because they broke the golden rule, which is to leave us alone and we'll go easy on you next time." In 1993, Coogan was living in Didsbury . He later lived in

4625-680: Is especially good whenever Martin's impatient manner tilts into genuine moral indignation." Coogan received the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Venice Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay as well as nominations for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay . The film earned four Academy Award nominations including for Best Picture losing to Steve McQueen 's historical drama 12 Years

4750-447: Is no archaeological evidence of any human presence on Jamaica until about 500. A group known as the "Redware people" after their pottery arrived circa 600, followed by the Taíno circa 800, who most likely came from South America . They practised an agrarian and fishing economy, and at their height are thought to have numbered some 60,000 people, grouped into around 200 villages headed by caciques (chiefs). The south coast of Jamaica

4875-468: Is the small but professional military force of Jamaica. The JDF is based on the British military model with similar organisation, training, weapons and traditions. Once chosen, officer candidates are sent to one of several British or Canadian basic officer courses depending on the arm of service. Enlisted soldiers are given basic training at Up Park Camp or JDF Training Depot, Newcastle, both in St. Andrew. As with

5000-448: The 1993 Jamaican general election , Patterson led the PNP to victory, winning 52 seats to the JLP's eight seats. Patterson also won the 1997 Jamaican general election , by another landslide margin of 50 seats to the JLP's 10 seats. Patterson's third consecutive victory came in the 2002 Jamaican general election , when the PNP retained power, but with a reduced seat majority of 34 seats to 26. Patterson stepped down on 26 February 2006, and

5125-554: The 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel, Coogan said that "it goes without saying that what Hamas did is evil beyond imagination — it was horrific and brutal". In June 2024, Coogan was one of more than 100 cultural figures to sign a letter calling for Labour to halt sales of arms to Israel if it is elected. In June 2024, ahead of the 2024 general election , Coogan endorsed the Green Party and campaigned for Sian Berry . Coogan's show Steve Coogan in character with John Thomson

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5250-465: The BBC . In 2009, Coogan was featured, alongside Vic Reeves , Bob Mortimer and Julia Davis , in the spoof documentary TV film Steve Coogan – The Inside Story . The same year he spoke on the influence of Monty Python on his comedy when he appeared in the television documentary, Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut) . In 2010, he worked again with Brydon and Michael Winterbottom for

5375-473: The British Academy Television Award for Best Actor . Coogan appeared in the 2024 film Joker: Folie à Deux as Paddy Meyers, a TV personality who interviews the Joker . Filming for the next Partridge project, And Did Those Feet... With Alan Partridge , began in early 2024. Coogan stars in multiple roles in a London stage version of the 1964 film Dr. Strangelove , adapted by Iannucci. The play opened at

5500-910: The British Empire in policing the empire from 1795 to 1926. Other units in the JDF heritage include the early colonial Jamaica Militia, the Kingston Infantry Volunteers of WWI and reorganised into the Jamaican Infantry Volunteers in World War II. The West Indies Regiment was reformed in 1958 as part of the West Indies Federation , after dissolution of the Federation the JDF was established. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) comprises an infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing,

5625-767: The First World War . During the 1950s, his paternal grandfather established a dance hall for Irish immigrants. Coogan has stated that he had a happy childhood, and his parents fostered children on a short-term basis. Coogan lived on Manchester New Road in Alkrington . His father stood for the SDP-Liberal Alliance in the Middleton South ward at the Rochdale Borough Council elections in both May 1983 and May 1984. He

5750-587: The Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats . He believes that the Conservative Party think "people are plebs" and that "they like to pat people on the head". In 2013 he voiced his support for abolishing the British monarchy . In August 2014, Coogan was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of

5875-765: The Noël Coward Theatre on 8 October 2024. Coogan has said that he likes to "keep [himself] private", and added: "I have never wanted to be famous, as such – fame is a by-product." He has been a British tabloid fixture since as early as 1996, and has stated that such outlets have subjected him to entrapment and blackmail , printed obvious lies about him, and have targeted his family and friends in attempts to extract stories from them. Coogan in some cases strongly denied allegations, but in others did not contest them because he wanted to shield vulnerable friends from adverse publicity. The tabloids also published intrusive information about his relationships and

6000-550: The Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for his performance with long-time collaborator John Thomson , and starred alongside him and Caroline Aherne in a one-off Granada TV sketch show , The Dead Good Show . His most prominent characters developed at this time were Paul Calf, a stereotypical working class Mancunian , and his sister Pauline, played by Coogan in drag . While working on

6125-527: The Radio 4 comedy On the Hour , Coogan created Alan Partridge, a parody of British sports presenters , with the producer Armando Iannucci . Coogan described Partridge as a Little Englander , with right-wing values and poor taste. He is socially inept, often offending his guests, and has an inflated sense of importance and celebrity. According to Coogan, Partridge was originally a "one-note, sketchy character" and "freak show", but slowly became refined as

6250-668: The Rio Nuevo in 1658 resulted in Spanish defeats; in 1660 the Maroon community under the leadership of Juan de Bolas switched sides from the Spanish, and began supporting the English. With their help, the Spanish defeat was secured. In 1661 English civil government was formed and Roundhead soldiers turned their attention to governance and agricultural responsibilities. When the English captured Jamaica, most Spanish colonists fled, with

6375-796: The West Indies . At 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi), it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola —of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean . Jamaica lies about 145 km (78 nmi) south of Cuba, 191 km (103 nmi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic ), and 215 km (116 nmi) southeast of the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory ). The indigenous Taíno peoples of

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6500-532: The "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs". Yamaye has been suggested as an early Taino name for the island as recorded by Christopher Columbus . Jamaicans often refer to their home island as "yaad" - the Jamaican Patois word for yard, meaning home. Other colloquial names such as "Jamrock", "Jamdown" ("Jamdung" in Jamaican Patois ), or briefly "Ja" are also widely used. There

6625-796: The BBC Radio Four spoof sci-fi series Nebulous . He played the Gnat in the 1998 TV adaptation of Alice Through the Looking-Glass starring Kate Beckinsale , Coogan starred in BBC2's The Private Life of Samuel Pepys in 2003, and Cruise of the Gods in 2002 and portrayed Factory Records boss, Tony Wilson in the film, 24 Hour Party People (2002). In 2006, he had a cameo in the Little Britain Christmas special as

6750-454: The Baptist preacher Samuel Sharpe . The rebellion resulted in hundreds of deaths and the destruction of many plantations, and led to ferocious reprisals by the plantocracy class. As a result of rebellions such as these, as well as the efforts of abolitionists, Britain outlawed slavery in its empire in 1834, with full emancipation from chattel slavery declared in 1838. The population in 1834

6875-573: The British had outlawed the importation of slaves, some were still smuggled in from Spanish colonies and directly from Africa. While planning the abolition of slavery, the British Parliament passed laws to improve conditions for slaves. They banned the use of whips in the field and flogging of women; informed planters that slaves were to be allowed religious instruction, and required a free day during each week when slaves could sell their produce, prohibiting Sunday markets to enable slaves to attend church. The House of Assembly in Jamaica resented and resisted

7000-400: The British model, NCOs are given several levels of professional training as they rise up the ranks. Additional military schools are available for speciality training in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The JDF is directly descended from the British Army 's West India Regiment , which was formed during the colonial era. The West India Regiment was used extensively throughout

7125-416: The English authorities sought to rein in the worst excesses of the pirates. In 1660, the population of Jamaica was about 4,500 white and 1,500 black. By the early 1670s, as the English developed sugar cane plantations worked by large numbers of slaves, black Africans formed a majority of the population. The Irish in Jamaica also formed a large part of the island's early population, making up two-thirds of

7250-446: The JDF has been called on to assist the nation's police, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), in fighting drug smuggling and a rising crime rate which includes one of the highest murder rates in the world. JDF units actively conduct armed patrols with the JCF in high-crime areas and known gang neighbourhoods. There has been vocal controversy as well as support of this JDF role. In early 2005, an Opposition leader, Edward Seaga, called for

7375-405: The JLP back in in 1980 under Edward Seaga , the JLP winning 51 seats to the PNP's nine seats. Firmly anti-Communist, Seaga cut ties with Cuba and sent troops to support the US invasion of Grenada in 1983. The economic deterioration, however, continued into the mid-1980s, exacerbated by a number of factors. The largest and third-largest alumina producers, Alpart and Alcoa , closed; and there

7500-434: The JLP's 13. The turnout was a very high 85 percent. However, the economy faltered in this period due to a combination of internal and external factors (such as the oil shocks). The rivalry between the JLP and PNP became intense, and political and gang-related violence grew significantly in this period. By 1980, Jamaica's gross national product had declined to some 25% below its 1972 level. Seeking change, Jamaicans voted

7625-406: The JLP's 16. Manley's government enacted various social reforms, such as a higher minimum wage , land reform, legislation for women's equality, greater housing construction and an increase in educational provision. Internationally he improved ties with the Communist bloc and vigorously opposed the apartheid regime in South Africa . In 1976, the PNP won another landslide, winning 47 seats to

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7750-400: The JLP's 32. As a result, Simpson-Miller became Opposition Leader for a second time. The voter turnout dipped below 50% for the first time, registering just 48.37%. In the 2020 general election , Andrew Holness made history for the JLP by accomplishing a second consecutive win for the Jamaica Labour Party, winning 49 seats to 14 won by the PNP, led this time by Peter Phillips . The last time

7875-432: The Joneses? , an online sitcom which uses wiki technology to allow the audience to upload scripts and storyline ideas. Other TV shows he has starred in include Coogan's Run , Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible , Monkey Trousers and Saxondale . Coogan has provided voices for the animated series I Am Not an Animal and Bob and Margaret , two Christmas specials featuring Robbie the Reindeer , and an episode of

8000-436: The Lib Dem candidate". In October, Coogan, Tilda Swinton , Miriam Margolyes , Charles Dance , Maxine Peake , and Peter Mullan were among more than 2,000 cultural figures to sign a letter calling for a Gaza ceasefire and accused the UK government of "not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them" in the wake of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war . Following criticism that the letter did not acknowledge or condemn

8125-527: The Prime Minister of Jamaica and the entire Cabinet and then formally appointed by the monarch. All the members of the Cabinet are appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister. The monarch and the governor-general serve largely ceremonial roles, apart from their reserve powers for use in certain constitutional crisis situations. The position of the monarch has been a matter of continuing debate in Jamaica for many years; currently both major political parties are committed to transitioning to

8250-407: The Senate (Upper House). Members of the House (known as Members of Parliament or MPs ) are directly elected, and the member of the House of Representatives who, in the governor-general's best judgement, is best able to command the confidence of a majority of the members of that House, is appointed by the governor-general to be the prime minister. Senators are nominated jointly by the prime minister and

8375-445: The Spanish rulers, and some turned to piracy against the Spanish Empire's shipping . By the early 17th century it is estimated that no more than 2,500–3,000 people lived on Jamaica. The English began taking an interest in the island and, following a failed attempt to conquer Santo Domingo on Hispaniola , Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables led an invasion of Jamaica in 1655. Battles at Ocho Rios in 1657 and

8500-416: The Spanish. As a result, the Spanish began importing slaves from Africa to the island. Many slaves managed to escape, forming autonomous communities in remote and easily defended areas in the interior of Jamaica, mixing with the remaining Taino; these communities became known as Maroons . Many Jews fled the Spanish Inquisition to live on the island. They lived as conversos and were often persecuted by

8625-442: The Taíno. Christopher Columbus was the first European to see Jamaica, claiming the island for Spain after landing there in 1494 on his second voyage to the Americas. His probable landing point was Dry Harbour, called Discovery Bay , and St. Ann's Bay was named "Saint Gloria" by Columbus, as the first sighting of the land. He later returned in 1503; however, he was shipwrecked and he and his crew were forced to live on Jamaica for

8750-560: The United Kingdom in the Scottish independence referendum . Coogan endorsed the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2017 general election . He hosted a rally for Corbyn in Birmingham, saying: "The Tory tactic was to try to make this a choice between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, but this has backfired as people – and I readily admit to being one of them – have started to listen to what Jeremy Corbyn says rather than what other people have been saying about him." In November 2019, along with other public figures, Coogan signed

8875-469: The United Kingdom on 6 August 1962. With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas (after the United States and Canada), and the fourth most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is the country's capital and largest city. Most Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European , East Asian (primarily Chinese ), Indian , Lebanese , and mixed-race minorities. Because of

9000-503: The United States whilst also developing links with Communist states such as Cuba. The optimism of the first decade was accompanied by a growing sense of inequality among many Afro-Jamaicans, and a concern that the benefits of growth were not being shared by the urban poor, many of whom ended up living in crime-ridden shanty towns in Kingston. This led to the voters electing the PNP under Michael Manley in 1972. The PNP won 37 seats to

9125-808: The World in 80 Days (2004), the Night at the Museum trilogy (2006-2014), Tropic Thunder (2008), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Our Idiot Brother (2011), Ruby Sparks (2012), Irreplaceable You (2018), and Greed (2019). He co-starred as himself with Rob Brydon in A Cock and Bull Story (2005) and the BBC series The Trip (2010), The Trip to Italy (2014), The Trip to Spain (2017), and The Trip to Greece (2020), all of which were also re-edited into films. In 1999, Coogan co-founded

9250-474: The argument against press regulation was " morally bankrupt ". Coogan provided an eight-page witness statement to the Leveson Inquiry , and appeared at the inquiry on 22 November 2011 to discuss the evidence. He said he was there reluctantly representing a lot of celebrities who felt they could not speak out for fear of reprisals from the tabloid press. In March 2021, Coogan said "the tabloid press

9375-460: The black majority, led to the outbreak of the Morant Bay rebellion in 1865, led by Paul Bogle , which was put down by Governor John Eyre with such brutality that he was recalled from his position. His successor, John Peter Grant , enacted a series of social, financial and political reforms while aiming to uphold firm British rule over the island, which became a Crown Colony in 1866. In 1872

9500-460: The bones of King Richard III . Coogan played Jimmy Savile in the BBC One series The Reckoning (2023). Coogan said the decision to play Savile was "not one I took lightly", and that the script "tackled a horrific story which – however harrowing – needs to be told". Despite the controversy surrounding the series, Coogan's performance was mostly praised by critics, and he was nominated for

9625-674: The capital was transferred from Spanish Town to Kingston. In 1907, Jamaica was struck by an earthquake which, together with the subsequent fire, resulted in considerable destruction in Kingston and caused the deaths of between 800 and 1,000 people. Unemployment and poverty remained a problem for many Jamaicans. Various movements seeking political change arose as a result, most notably the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League founded by Marcus Garvey in 1917. As well as seeking greater political rights and an improvement for

9750-538: The casual use of this name in the specimen forms given in the official regulations from 1815 onward"; the citation references Collection of Orders, Regulations, etc. , pp. 75–87, published by the War Office, 31 August 1815. The name is used for an exemplary cavalry and infantry soldier; other names used included William Jones and John Thomas. Thomas Atkins continued to be used in the Soldier's Account Book until

9875-499: The colonial British West Indies . Under Britain's colonial rule, Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter, with a plantation economy dependent on continued importation of African slaves and their descendants. The British fully emancipated all slaves in 1838, and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations. Beginning in the 1840s, the British began using Chinese and Indian indentured labourers for plantation work. Jamaicans achieved independence from

10000-480: The comedian Stan Laurel in the 2018 biographical film Stan & Ollie , alongside the American actor John C. Reilly , who played Oliver Hardy . Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Coogan "slips neatly into the role" and added, "Coogan and Reilly not only excel at creating convincing impressions of one of the most famous comic teams of the last century, but they do an uncanny job of recreating

10125-490: The condition of workers, Garvey was also a prominent Pan-Africanist and proponent of the Back-to-Africa movement . He was also one of the chief inspirations behind Rastafari, a religion founded in Jamaica in the 1930s that combined Christianity with an Afrocentric theology focused on the figure of Haile Selassie , Emperor of Ethiopia . Despite occasional persecution, Rastafari grew to become an established faith on

10250-427: The country. Holness and the JLP were defeated in the 2011 Jamaican general election , which saw Portia Simpson-Miller and the PNP return to power. The number of seats had been increased to 63, and the PNP swept to power with a landslide 42 seats to the JLP's 21. The voter turnout was 53.17%. Holness's JLP won the 2016 general election narrowly, defeating Simpson-Miller's PNP, on 25 February. The PNP won 31 seats to

10375-667: The early 20th century. A further suggestion was given in 1900 by an army chaplain named Reverend E. J. Hardy. He wrote of an incident during the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857. When most of the Europeans in Lucknow were fleeing to the British Residency for protection, a private of the 32nd Regiment of Foot remained on duty at an outpost. Despite the pleas of his comrades, he insisted that he must remain at his post. He

10500-403: The exception of Spanish Jews, who chose to remain. Spanish slave holders freed their slaves before leaving. Many slaves dispersed into the mountains, joining the already established maroon communities. During the centuries of slavery, Jamaican Maroons established free communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica, where they maintained their freedom and independence for generations, under

10625-607: The film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013). Coogan has earned accolades such as four BAFTA Awards and three British Comedy Awards , and nominations for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award . Coogan began his career in the 1980s as a voice actor on the satirical puppet show Spitting Image and providing voice-overs for television advertisements. He grew in prominence in the film industry in 2002, after starring in The Parole Officer and 24 Hour Party People . He continued to appear in films such as Around

10750-571: The film, Coogan plays a fictional, womanising version of himself. The first film that Coogan co-wrote with Henry Normal was The Parole Officer , in which he also acted alongside Ben Miller and Lena Headey . He has an uncredited cameo in Hot Fuzz , scripted by Shaun of the Dead writers Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright . He also starred in the Night at the Museum trilogy in which he played Octavius,

10875-539: The glitches on its first few dates: "When Steve Coogan first brought this show to Nottingham last month, the reviews were poor... the intervening weeks have made a big difference, and last night's audience at the Trent FM Arena went home happy. More please, and soon." In 2008, BBC Worldwide bought a 25% stake in the production company. It did not offer the largest sum, but was chosen by Coogan and Normal owing to their previous work with and strong connection with

11000-528: The island gradually came under Spanish rule after the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Many of the indigenous people either were killed or died of diseases, after which the Spanish brought large numbers of Africans to Jamaica as slaves. The island remained a possession of Spain, under the name Santiago , until 1655, when England (part of what would become the Kingdom of Great Britain ) conquered it and named it Jamaica . It became an important part of

11125-598: The island, later spreading abroad. The Great Depression of the 1930s hit Jamaica hard. As part of the British West Indian labour unrest of 1934–39 , Jamaica saw numerous strikes, culminating in a strike in 1938 that turned into a riot. As a result, the British government instituted a commission to look into the causes of the disturbances; their report recommended political and economic reforms in Britain's Caribbean colonies. A new House of Representatives

11250-545: The leadership of Maroon leaders such as Juan de Serras . Meanwhile, the Spanish made several attempts to re-capture the island, prompting the British to support pirates attacking Spanish ships in the Caribbean; as a result piracy became rampant on Jamaica, with the city of Port Royal becoming notorious for its lawlessness. Spain later recognised English possession of the island with the Treaty of Madrid (1670) . After that,

11375-687: The manor house Ovingdean Grange in Ovingdean until 2017, when it was advertised for sale at £3.25 million. As of 2022, Coogan has lived in Barcombe , in the Lewes District of East Sussex . Coogan married Caroline Hickman in 2002 and they divorced in 2005. He entered rehab for personal issues. He dated model China Chow for three years. In March 2011, he was guest editor for Loaded , where he met and began dating glamour model Loretta "Elle" Basey. They were together until 2014. He has

11500-640: The merger of the JDF and JCF. This has not garnered support in either organisation nor among the majority of citizens. In 2017, Jamaica signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Jamaica is the 91st most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index . Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes , which are grouped into three historic counties that have no administrative relevance. Steve Coogan Stephen John Coogan ( / ˈ k uː ɡ ən / ; born 14 October 1965)

11625-473: The new laws. Members, with membership then restricted to European-descended Jamaicans, claimed that the slaves were content and objected to Parliament's interference in island affairs. Slave owners feared possible revolts if conditions were lightened. The British abolished the slave trade in 1807, but not the institution itself. In 1831 a huge slave rebellion, known as the Baptist War , broke out, led by

11750-615: The next 20 years, several epidemics of cholera , scarlet fever , and smallpox hit the island, killing almost 60,000 people (about 10 per day). Nevertheless, in 1871 the census recorded a population of 506,154 people, 246,573 of whom were males, and 259,581 females. Their races were recorded as 13,101 white, 100,346 coloured (known as the Browning Class), and 392,707 black. There was an economic slump in this period, with many Jamaicans living in poverty. Dissatisfaction with this, and continued racial discrimination and marginalisation of

11875-687: The parliamentary Leader of the Opposition and are then appointed by the governor-general. The Judiciary of Jamaica operates on a common law system derived from English law and Commonwealth of Nations precedents. The court of final appeal is the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council , though during the 2000s Parliament attempted to replace it with the Caribbean Court of Justice . Jamaica has traditionally had

12000-511: The partially improvised BBC2 sitcom The Trip , in which he and Brydon tour northern restaurants. The movie was followed in 2014 with the film, The Trip to Italy , about him and Brydon taking a food-tasting trip through Italy, followed by The Trip to Spain (2017) and The Trip to Greece (2020). He worked again with director Winterbottom in The Look of Love (2013), about '50s porn-king, Paul Raymond . Partridge returned in 2010 with

12125-503: The phone hacking scandal. He has said that the press, by persistently intruding in his private life, has effectively made him "immune" to further attack as his "closet is empty of skeletons". Coogan favours reform and regulation of the British press. He became a prominent figure in the News International phone hacking scandal as one of the celebrities who took action against the British tabloids in light of these events. He

12250-520: The previous two decades, declined significantly. In 2007 the PNP was defeated by the JLP by a narrow margin of 32 seats to 28, with a turnout of 61.46%. This election ended 18 years of PNP rule, and Bruce Golding became the new prime minister. Golding's tenure (2007–2010) was dominated by the effects of the global recession , as well as the fallout from an attempt by Jamaican police and military to arrest drug lord Christopher Coke in 2010 which erupted in violence, resulting in over 70 deaths. As

12375-694: The production company Baby Cow Productions with Henry Normal . In 2013, he co-wrote, produced, and starred in the film Philomena , which earned him nominations at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs , and at the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture . Coogan has also played dramatic roles, including Marie Antoinette (2006), What Maisie Knew (2012), The Look of Love (2013) and The Dinner (2017). For his portrayal of Stan Laurel in Stan & Ollie (2018), he earned

12500-588: The production was fraught; however, he was proud of the finished film. Coogan produced, co-wrote and co-starred in the drama film Philomena (2013). He portrayed the journalist Martin Sixsmith , who helps a former nun Philomena Lee , played Judi Dench , find her son after decades long absence. The film received acclaim and was a financial success. The Variety critic Justin Chang wrote, "The two leads make decent sparring partners and better allies, and Coogan

12625-729: The property of a small planter-class. In the 18th century, slaves ran away and joined the Maroons in increasing numbers, and resulted in The First Maroon War (1728 – 1739/40), which ended in stalemate. The British government sued for peace, and signed treaties with the Leeward Maroons led by Cudjoe and Accompong in 1739, and the Windward Maroons led by Quao and Queen Nanny in 1740. A large slave rebellion, known as Tacky's War , broke out in 1760 but

12750-458: The return of some of his old characters including Paul Calf and Alan Partridge. Reviews of the tour were mixed. Much of the criticism focused on the apparent unrehearsed quality of some of the performances and on Coogan's nervous stage presence. Chortle comedy guide described it as "most definitely a show of two-halves: the superlative Alan Partridge plus a collection of characters that are not only less successful, but woefully less funny". As

12875-434: The same year, his brother Kevin acquired nine O-levels at the same school and took part in local and regional sports competitions, notably in basketball and cross country running. Coogan's sister trained to be a teacher at the nearby Hopwood Hall College . As a family, it was assumed that all the children would become teachers. Coogan had a talent for impersonation and wanted to go to drama school, despite being advised by

13000-433: The schooling of his child. Coogan has also been critical of the broadsheet press, saying they have colluded with the tabloids in the interests of selling newspapers. In 2005, he said " The Guardian tends to have its cake and eat it. It waits for the tabloids to dish the dirt and then it talks about the tabloids dishing the dirt while enjoying it themselves." He later gave credit to the same newspaper for its investigation of

13125-528: The staff at the News of the World ordered him to hack phones. This information was obtained by Coogan's lawyers on 26 August 2011. Interviewed on Newsnight on 8 July 2011, Coogan said he was "delighted" by the closure of the News of the World and said it was a "fantastic day for journalism". He said the idea of press freedom was used by the tabloids as a "smokescreen for selling papers with tittle-tattle" and said

13250-562: The support battalion is to provide support to boost numbers in combat and issue competency training in order to allow for the readiness of the force. The 1st Engineer Regiment was formed due to an increased demand for military engineers and their role is to provide engineering services whenever and wherever they are needed. The Headquarters JDF contains the JDF Commander, Command Staff as well as Intelligence, Judge Advocate office, Administrative and Procurement sections. In recent years

13375-470: The tour progressed and the problems were ironed out, reviews were very positive. Dominic Maxwell of The Times described the show as "twice as entertaining as most other comedy shows this year". Brian Logan of The Guardian awarded it four stars and described it as "shamelessly funny". Reviews such as the one from the Trent FM Arena exemplified how much the show had improved after dealing with

13500-454: The usual six-month ban for a further speeding offence by saying that his next TV series depended on his ability to drive; he was given a two-month ban and a £750 fine. He has been open about his struggle with depression and has said he "will always be a recovering addict". He gained Irish citizenship in March 2023 and described himself as "half-Irish" in an interview. Coogan has supported both

13625-518: The white population on the island in the late 17th century, twice that of the English population. They were brought in as indentured labourers and soldiers after the conquest of 1655. The majority of Irish were transported by force as political prisoners of war from Ireland as a result of the ongoing Wars of the Three Kingdoms . Migration of large numbers of Irish to the island continued into the 18th century. A limited form of local government

13750-464: The world's least populous cultural superpower . Jamaica is an upper-middle-income country with an economy heavily dependent on tourism; it has an average of 4.3 million tourists a year. The country performs favourably in measures of press freedom , democratic governance and sustainable well-being . Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica , consisting of an appointed Senate and

13875-477: Was 371,070, of whom 15,000 were white, 5,000 free black; 40,000 "coloured" or free people of colour ( mixed race ); and 311,070 were slaves. The resulting labour shortage prompted the British to begin to "import" indentured servants to supplement the labour pool, as many freedmen resisted working on the plantations. Workers recruited from India began arriving in 1845, Chinese workers in 1854. Many Jamaicans are descendants of South Asian and Chinese people. Over

14000-464: Was a significant reduction in production by the second-largest producer, Alcan . Reynolds Jamaica Mines, Ltd. left the Jamaican industry. There was also a decline in tourism, which was important to the economy. Owing to rising foreign and local debt, accompanied by large fiscal deficits, the government sought International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing, which was dependent on implementing various austerity measures. These resulted in strikes in 1985 and

14125-751: Was also chairman of the Catholic Grammar Schools Parents Association, and protested against the proposal by the Salford Roman Catholic Diocesan Schools Commission to close the sixth form (which ultimately did not happen). Coogan attended St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School and Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School . Coogan passed two O-levels in 1983, which were likely re-take exams, aged 17. In 1984 he gained 4 A-levels : English Literature, British Government and Politics, Art, and General Studies. In

14250-512: Was also reintroduced into later performances of San Toy for Hayden Coffin. He recalled singing it on Ladysmith Night (1 March 1900) where "the audience were roused to such a pitch of enthusiasm, that they rose to their feet, and commenced to shower money on to the stage". In the children's fantasy novel The Indian in the Cupboard (1980) by Lynne Reid Banks , toy soldiers representing various historical wars are brought to life by magic. One

14375-575: Was an attack on what McGonagall saw as the disparaging portrayal of Tommy in Kipling's poem. In 1893, for the musical play A Gaiety Girl , Henry Hamilton (lyrics) and Samuel Potter (music) wrote the song Private Tommy Atkins for the baritone C. Hayden Coffin . It was immediately published by Willcocks & Co. Ltd. in London and published by T. B. Harms & Co. in New York the next year. The song

14500-522: Was chosen by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , having been inspired by the bravery of a soldier at the Battle of Boxtel in 1794 during the Flanders Campaign . After a fierce engagement, the Duke, in command of the 33rd Regiment of Foot , purportedly spotted the best man-at-arms in the regiment, Private Thomas Atkins, terribly wounded. The private said, "It's all right, sir. It's all in

14625-420: Was defeated by the British and their Maroon allies. After the second conflict in 1795–96, many Maroons from the Maroon town of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town) were expelled to Nova Scotia and, later, Sierra Leone . By the beginning of the 19th century, Jamaica's dependence on slave labour and a plantation economy had resulted in black people outnumbering white people by a ratio of almost 20 to 1. Although

14750-593: Was established in 1944, elected by universal adult suffrage. During this period Jamaica's two-party system emerged, with the creation of the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) under Alexander Bustamante and the People's National Party (PNP) under Norman Manley . Jamaica slowly gained increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. In 1958 it became a province in the Federation of the West Indies ,

14875-493: Was fuelled by high levels of private investment in bauxite / alumina , tourism , the manufacturing industry and, to a lesser extent, the agricultural sector. In the 1967 Jamaican general election , the JLP were victorious again, winning 33 out of 53 seats, with the PNP taking 20 seats. In terms of foreign policy Jamaica became a member of the Non-Aligned Movement , seeking to retain strong ties with Britain and

15000-580: Was introduced with the creation of the House of Assembly of Jamaica in 1664; however, it represented only a tiny number of rich plantation owners. In 1692, the colony was rocked by an earthquake that resulted in several thousand deaths and the almost complete destruction of Port Royal. During the 1700s the economy boomed, based largely on sugar and other crops for export such as coffee , cotton and indigo . All these crops were worked by black slaves, who lived short and often brutal lives with no rights, being

15125-682: Was killed at his post, and the Reverend Hardy wrote that "His name happened to be Tommy Atkins and so, throughout the Mutiny Campaign, when a daring deed was done, the doer was said to be 'a regular Tommy Atkins'". Rudyard Kipling published the poem " Tommy " (part of the Barrack-Room Ballads , which were dedicated "To T.A.") in 1892. In reply, William McGonagall wrote "Lines in Praise of Tommy Atkins" in 1898, which

15250-491: Was made aware by his phone service provider of "possible anomalies" on his phone in 2005 and 2006. In 2010, Coogan's legal firm obtained a partially redacted version of Glenn Mulcaire 's hacking notebook by a court order which showed Coogan had been targeted and his personal information was in the possession of Mulcaire. Mulcaire was forced by the High Court of Justice to disclose to Coogan's legal team who amongst

15375-530: Was raised Roman Catholic in what he described as a " lower-middle or upper-working class" family which emphasised the values of education. His elder brother Martin is a musician, while his younger brother Brendan is a presenter. Coogan's mother is Irish and hails from County Mayo , while his father was born in Manchester to Irish parents Margaret (from County Kilkenny ) and Thomas Coogan (a tailor from County Cork ), who had settled there shortly before

15500-446: Was replaced by Portia Simpson-Miller , Jamaica's first female Prime Minister. The turnout slowly declined during this period of time, from 67.4% in 1993 to 59.1% in 2002. During this period various economic reforms were introduced, such as deregulating the finance sector and floating the Jamaican dollar, as well as greater investment in infrastructure, whilst also retaining a strong social safety net. Political violence, so prevalent in

15625-432: Was the most populated, especially around the area now known as Old Harbour. Though often thought to have become extinct following contact with Europeans, the Taíno in fact still inhabited Jamaica when the English took control of the island in 1655. Some fled into interior regions, merging with African Maroon communities. The Jamaican National Heritage Trust is attempting to locate and document any remaining evidence of

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