alternatehistory.com
Part One: Ashdown
The career of Jeremy 'Paddy' Ashdown remains one of the more interesting careers in British Politics, not only for the almost fiction like quality to it, but also due to its sudden and tragic end. The son of a war hero and nurse born in British India in 1941, raised on a farm in County Down, a Captain in the Royal Marines who saw action in the Borneo Confrontation, a Section Commander the Special Boat Service, an Intelligence Agent for the Secret Service, and a diplomat to the UN in Switzerland, Ashdown's story never seemed to be leading towards a career in Politics, but after a chance encounter with a Liberal Party campaigner, it would be the path his life would take.
Returning from Switzerland to an England rocked by domestic strife and joining a Liberal Party shaken by scandal, Ashdown was made the Prospective Candidate for the Conservative safe seat of Yeovil. He fought passionately- though unsuccessfully- for the seat in 1979, though won it in 1983 after building a strategy that would push him against the national swing to an incredible degree. Cutting his teeth in Parliament as Party Spokesman for Trade and Industry, Ashdown fought Privatisation of Royal Ordinance, crusaded against cruise missiles, struggled to preserve the working rights of GCHQ workers, and set the tone of parties eventual Foreign Policy with his opposition to America use of British Airbases to bomb Libya.
The formation of the Social and Liberal Democrats (later simplified to be the Liberal Democrats) in 1988 wasn't much of a surprise, and had been expected for some time, and following the 1987 General election it was seen as inevitable. The process was torturous and farcical, almost scuttled at points due to the issues of policy and the merging of facilities, but in the end the merger was approved by both parties, and on the 3rd March 1988, a new unified political force was born. Ashdown emerged as Leader following a surprisingly aggressive fight with Alan Beith, who following Ashdown's landslide victory would become his Deputy. Whilst solidly on the social democratic wing of the Liberal Party, he was none the less fiercely loyal to the Liberals, which greatly helped the transition into the Liberal Democrats. David Steel would later note that had it not been for a unifying figure like Ashdown, the Party may have never survived its initial years.
And those initial years were tough; plagued by infighting, splitters, a disastrous performance at Richmond (sinking below the bitter David Owen's Continuity SDP in vote share), and an even worse performance at the 1989 European Election, things were looking bleak for the Party. However, with Ashdown at the helm, things began to turn around. Throwing himself completely into his Leadership, the energetic and charismatic Leader led his Party forward, unfettered by failure, building morale, recovering finances, and rallying to a membership that was increasing nearly everyday. And despite scandal earlier in the year over his romantic involvement with his secretary, there wasn't much that put a dampener on the Liberal spirit. After all, at least he hadn't killed a dog.
A string of by-election victories in Eastbourne, Ribble Vally, and Kincardine & Deeside would lead the Party into the 1992 General Election. Whilst the election was by no means a success for the young party, which endured a net loss of two seats and falling short of their prediction in the exit poll, the party achieved a goal that for many years to come would be more important; cementing the Liberal Democrats as Britain’s Third Party. They had 20 seats and 17.8% of the national vote, and for Ashdown, that was enough. He had weathered the initial storm, and both he and the party emerged stronger for it.
The next three years of Ashdown’s leadership would be set against a major shift in British Politics- the rise of Tony Blair and New Labour. In 1992 Ashdown began meeting with Blair, then Shadow Home Secretary, in secret to discuss the possibility of a Coalition Government following the next election. In spite of Labour’s poll lead, which grew wider everyday, there was a very real fear within Labour that this was smoke with little fire and they would be unable to capitalise on this, like in 1992, so Blair sought a safety net. Following the death of Labour Leader John Smith and Blair’s ascension to the Leadership, the meetings moved out of the shadows and backrooms and became more formal, though considerably more frigid as John Prescott and Gordon Brown were uneasy towards to the idea of supporting Proportional Representation, a long time Liberal goal that would become a bugbear between the parties in later years.
1994 passed with more successes; two seats in Europe, a far cry for the abysmal performance in 1989, and victories in Newbury, Christchurch, and Eastleigh. In the Local Elections, the Party saw continued success, with a steady growth of some 450 Councillors in both 1994 and 1995 as the Tory vote collapsed. New Labour launched the same year and changed British Politics, dragging the Labour party rightwards and toward the centre, into the Liberal Democrats political stomping ground. Ashdown remained confident in his parties abilities with a surprise victory in Littleborough & Saddleworth, though internally began to realign and shift the Party more towards the left.
As the end of 1995 was approaching, things were looking hopeful. From dead on arrival to a tremendous force to be reckoned with, with Ashdown at the helm the Liberal Democrats felt like they could take on the world. However, on the 27th of November 1995, Ashdown was involved in an altercation whilst touring his Constituency with the local vicar in the aftermath of a racially motivated firebombing. Taunted and heckled by a gang of youths, he invited one to walk with him- instead the young man pulled a knife and cut Ashdown’s throat.
The death of Jeremy Ashdown is considered by many to be a watershed moment in British Politics, with the contemporary reaction comparable to the reactions towards the death of John Smith from only a year and a half before. Tributes would be made in Parliament from John Major, Tony Blair, and others, a deep respect would be laid at the feet of the fallen leader, and flowers laid where he fell. In Westminster Village, there was a mourning period, and across the country there was a sense of sadness, if not grief, at the untimely death of a man who whilst was certainly never seen as the next Prime Minister, was none the less somebody that everyone had at least heard of, for better or for worse.
Not an eye in Britain was dry, but as the black suits were put away and damp handkerchiefs stuffed back into pockets, the future kept its murky funeral shroud. Alan Beith, in his capacity as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, took over for a brief two months until a new Leader could be found. Many had expected Beith himself to run for Leadership, but he was quick to rule himself out. Others looked to former Party President Charles Kennedy to run, but, for reasons that would only become clear years later, Kennedy did not stand. Instead, a different man stepped forwards to take the wheel, and lead the Party into the next millennium.
Returning from Switzerland to an England rocked by domestic strife and joining a Liberal Party shaken by scandal, Ashdown was made the Prospective Candidate for the Conservative safe seat of Yeovil. He fought passionately- though unsuccessfully- for the seat in 1979, though won it in 1983 after building a strategy that would push him against the national swing to an incredible degree. Cutting his teeth in Parliament as Party Spokesman for Trade and Industry, Ashdown fought Privatisation of Royal Ordinance, crusaded against cruise missiles, struggled to preserve the working rights of GCHQ workers, and set the tone of parties eventual Foreign Policy with his opposition to America use of British Airbases to bomb Libya.
The formation of the Social and Liberal Democrats (later simplified to be the Liberal Democrats) in 1988 wasn't much of a surprise, and had been expected for some time, and following the 1987 General election it was seen as inevitable. The process was torturous and farcical, almost scuttled at points due to the issues of policy and the merging of facilities, but in the end the merger was approved by both parties, and on the 3rd March 1988, a new unified political force was born. Ashdown emerged as Leader following a surprisingly aggressive fight with Alan Beith, who following Ashdown's landslide victory would become his Deputy. Whilst solidly on the social democratic wing of the Liberal Party, he was none the less fiercely loyal to the Liberals, which greatly helped the transition into the Liberal Democrats. David Steel would later note that had it not been for a unifying figure like Ashdown, the Party may have never survived its initial years.
And those initial years were tough; plagued by infighting, splitters, a disastrous performance at Richmond (sinking below the bitter David Owen's Continuity SDP in vote share), and an even worse performance at the 1989 European Election, things were looking bleak for the Party. However, with Ashdown at the helm, things began to turn around. Throwing himself completely into his Leadership, the energetic and charismatic Leader led his Party forward, unfettered by failure, building morale, recovering finances, and rallying to a membership that was increasing nearly everyday. And despite scandal earlier in the year over his romantic involvement with his secretary, there wasn't much that put a dampener on the Liberal spirit. After all, at least he hadn't killed a dog.
A string of by-election victories in Eastbourne, Ribble Vally, and Kincardine & Deeside would lead the Party into the 1992 General Election. Whilst the election was by no means a success for the young party, which endured a net loss of two seats and falling short of their prediction in the exit poll, the party achieved a goal that for many years to come would be more important; cementing the Liberal Democrats as Britain’s Third Party. They had 20 seats and 17.8% of the national vote, and for Ashdown, that was enough. He had weathered the initial storm, and both he and the party emerged stronger for it.
The next three years of Ashdown’s leadership would be set against a major shift in British Politics- the rise of Tony Blair and New Labour. In 1992 Ashdown began meeting with Blair, then Shadow Home Secretary, in secret to discuss the possibility of a Coalition Government following the next election. In spite of Labour’s poll lead, which grew wider everyday, there was a very real fear within Labour that this was smoke with little fire and they would be unable to capitalise on this, like in 1992, so Blair sought a safety net. Following the death of Labour Leader John Smith and Blair’s ascension to the Leadership, the meetings moved out of the shadows and backrooms and became more formal, though considerably more frigid as John Prescott and Gordon Brown were uneasy towards to the idea of supporting Proportional Representation, a long time Liberal goal that would become a bugbear between the parties in later years.
1994 passed with more successes; two seats in Europe, a far cry for the abysmal performance in 1989, and victories in Newbury, Christchurch, and Eastleigh. In the Local Elections, the Party saw continued success, with a steady growth of some 450 Councillors in both 1994 and 1995 as the Tory vote collapsed. New Labour launched the same year and changed British Politics, dragging the Labour party rightwards and toward the centre, into the Liberal Democrats political stomping ground. Ashdown remained confident in his parties abilities with a surprise victory in Littleborough & Saddleworth, though internally began to realign and shift the Party more towards the left.
As the end of 1995 was approaching, things were looking hopeful. From dead on arrival to a tremendous force to be reckoned with, with Ashdown at the helm the Liberal Democrats felt like they could take on the world. However, on the 27th of November 1995, Ashdown was involved in an altercation whilst touring his Constituency with the local vicar in the aftermath of a racially motivated firebombing. Taunted and heckled by a gang of youths, he invited one to walk with him- instead the young man pulled a knife and cut Ashdown’s throat.
The death of Jeremy Ashdown is considered by many to be a watershed moment in British Politics, with the contemporary reaction comparable to the reactions towards the death of John Smith from only a year and a half before. Tributes would be made in Parliament from John Major, Tony Blair, and others, a deep respect would be laid at the feet of the fallen leader, and flowers laid where he fell. In Westminster Village, there was a mourning period, and across the country there was a sense of sadness, if not grief, at the untimely death of a man who whilst was certainly never seen as the next Prime Minister, was none the less somebody that everyone had at least heard of, for better or for worse.
Not an eye in Britain was dry, but as the black suits were put away and damp handkerchiefs stuffed back into pockets, the future kept its murky funeral shroud. Alan Beith, in his capacity as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, took over for a brief two months until a new Leader could be found. Many had expected Beith himself to run for Leadership, but he was quick to rule himself out. Others looked to former Party President Charles Kennedy to run, but, for reasons that would only become clear years later, Kennedy did not stand. Instead, a different man stepped forwards to take the wheel, and lead the Party into the next millennium.
- shiftygiant
- Word Count: 1.2k