alternatehistory.com
shiftygiant - He Is A Legend (Inspired by Meadow)
He Is A Legend
Inspired by that Timeline which Meadow did.
Will finish footnotes.
1997-2007: Tony Blair (Labour)
def. 1997: John Major (Conservative), Paddy Ashdown (Liberal Democrats)
def. 2001: William Hague (Conservative), Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrats)
def. 2005: Michael Howard (Conservative), Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrats)
2007-2008: Gordon Brown (Labour) [2]
2008-2010: Ken Livingstone (Labour) [1] [3]
2010-20xx: David Willetts (Conservative) [4]
def. 2010: Ken Livingstone (Labour), Chris Huhne (Liberal Democrats)
1. Ken Livingstone's defeat in the 2004 London Mayoral Election remains perhaps one of the greatest political upsets in modern British political history. It's unclear exactly how Steven Norris won, but at the end of the day, he had trumped the Cities 'unique' Mayor. Livingstone vowed that he would fight another day- many expected this meant he would run in 2008. But he had other plans, and turned his attention to his old seat of Brent East, which the big yellow machine had painted yellow, and using his influence was able to get selected for the seat. It would be one of the surprise gains of the night, Livingstone easily overturning the 5.4 majority. He was back in Parliament, and was once more on the Government benches. Sitting with the Socialist Campaign Group, there was some question as to what he was planning- at first, it was believed that he would challenge Brown for the Leadership once Blair stepped down. But when Blair stepped down and Brown stepped up, he didn't make much noise, beyond vague support for John McDonnell and 'widening the debate'. Then, rumoured that Livingstone was going to not run for the London Mayorship, which Livingstone was quick to confirm. Suddenly, the words on many lips quickly became "what's he doing?" And soon enough, they'd have an answer.
2. It would turn out he was biding his time and waiting for a real crisis. Gordon Brown was not the most popular man in the world. The Big Clunking Fist knew this, and always watched himself, and in 2007 was anxious of being challenged by the parties left. Of course, he was not opposed to the competition, wanting to avoid his succession being seen as little more than a coronation, but when John McDonnell's challenge fizzled out, that's what it became. Initially buoyed by a high opinion polling, following his decision to avoid an election, it quickly came tumbling down, with many accusing Brown of 'loosing focus'. This came to head in 2008, when Labour lost Glasgow East. Some would come out against Brown. The whip was forced to resign when she called for a contest. An emerge was quick to... emerge, David Miliband. Young, handsome, and the Foreign Secretary, he opened a wound and bought Brown to the table, who announced his intention to not run against Miliband a few days before nomination closed. Brown would later state that he resigned not because he knew he would lose (if anything, internal polling was showing he had a good chance of winning), but because he was tired, and the rebellion opened his eyes. Immediately there was scramble; Ken Livingstone had his opening. Stepping up, he got his nomination. Facing off against David Miliband and Ed Balls, for the former Mayor hope lay in the Unions and Membership.
And hope would deliver by less than a percentage point.
3. Red Ken was swept into office on a malaise. There was a great swell of unknowing in the British conscious; the most left-wing man to ever walk into Downing Street, an outspoken and unashamed figure who was used to the Blairlike Presidential style of power and was seemingly obsessed with transport, his time in office was mercifully short at two years, but then again two years is a very long time in politics.
There was surprisingly little disruption in the cabinet- some resgined on principle, whilst others who stayed found themselves demoted, promoted, or sent to the backbench. A notable hold over was Alistair Darling, which surprised some. Other prominent appointments included Diane Abbot, who was given Home, Michael Meacher, who went back to Environment, and Jeremy Corbyn, who was given International Development, Gerald Kaufman Culture. John McDonnell was sent to the Treasury, with some controversy due to his relationship with the IRA.
4.
Inspired by that Timeline which Meadow did.
Will finish footnotes.
1997-2007: Tony Blair (Labour)
def. 1997: John Major (Conservative), Paddy Ashdown (Liberal Democrats)
def. 2001: William Hague (Conservative), Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrats)
def. 2005: Michael Howard (Conservative), Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrats)
2007-2008: Gordon Brown (Labour) [2]
2008-2010: Ken Livingstone (Labour) [1] [3]
2010-20xx: David Willetts (Conservative) [4]
def. 2010: Ken Livingstone (Labour), Chris Huhne (Liberal Democrats)
1. Ken Livingstone's defeat in the 2004 London Mayoral Election remains perhaps one of the greatest political upsets in modern British political history. It's unclear exactly how Steven Norris won, but at the end of the day, he had trumped the Cities 'unique' Mayor. Livingstone vowed that he would fight another day- many expected this meant he would run in 2008. But he had other plans, and turned his attention to his old seat of Brent East, which the big yellow machine had painted yellow, and using his influence was able to get selected for the seat. It would be one of the surprise gains of the night, Livingstone easily overturning the 5.4 majority. He was back in Parliament, and was once more on the Government benches. Sitting with the Socialist Campaign Group, there was some question as to what he was planning- at first, it was believed that he would challenge Brown for the Leadership once Blair stepped down. But when Blair stepped down and Brown stepped up, he didn't make much noise, beyond vague support for John McDonnell and 'widening the debate'. Then, rumoured that Livingstone was going to not run for the London Mayorship, which Livingstone was quick to confirm. Suddenly, the words on many lips quickly became "what's he doing?" And soon enough, they'd have an answer.
2. It would turn out he was biding his time and waiting for a real crisis. Gordon Brown was not the most popular man in the world. The Big Clunking Fist knew this, and always watched himself, and in 2007 was anxious of being challenged by the parties left. Of course, he was not opposed to the competition, wanting to avoid his succession being seen as little more than a coronation, but when John McDonnell's challenge fizzled out, that's what it became. Initially buoyed by a high opinion polling, following his decision to avoid an election, it quickly came tumbling down, with many accusing Brown of 'loosing focus'. This came to head in 2008, when Labour lost Glasgow East. Some would come out against Brown. The whip was forced to resign when she called for a contest. An emerge was quick to... emerge, David Miliband. Young, handsome, and the Foreign Secretary, he opened a wound and bought Brown to the table, who announced his intention to not run against Miliband a few days before nomination closed. Brown would later state that he resigned not because he knew he would lose (if anything, internal polling was showing he had a good chance of winning), but because he was tired, and the rebellion opened his eyes. Immediately there was scramble; Ken Livingstone had his opening. Stepping up, he got his nomination. Facing off against David Miliband and Ed Balls, for the former Mayor hope lay in the Unions and Membership.
And hope would deliver by less than a percentage point.
3. Red Ken was swept into office on a malaise. There was a great swell of unknowing in the British conscious; the most left-wing man to ever walk into Downing Street, an outspoken and unashamed figure who was used to the Blairlike Presidential style of power and was seemingly obsessed with transport, his time in office was mercifully short at two years, but then again two years is a very long time in politics.
There was surprisingly little disruption in the cabinet- some resgined on principle, whilst others who stayed found themselves demoted, promoted, or sent to the backbench. A notable hold over was Alistair Darling, which surprised some. Other prominent appointments included Diane Abbot, who was given Home, Michael Meacher, who went back to Environment, and Jeremy Corbyn, who was given International Development, Gerald Kaufman Culture. John McDonnell was sent to the Treasury, with some controversy due to his relationship with the IRA.
4.
- shiftygiant
- Word Count: 710