A Stormy Weekend in 1974

Nick Hopkins, the policeman on duty outside 10 Downing Street was wet, cold and miserable.He had been doing everything he could to keep warm but it felt as though he was going to turn into a statue.

He looked up and down the famous street and it was deserted. He smiled to himself thinking of the irony. The most famous street in Britain was empty at a time when all of the country was going to wonder who was going to be there.

He'd been listening to the BBC news on Radio 4 about the incredible election results that had been going on throughout the night. Labour were the largest party in the commons but hadn't got an overall majority. Ted Heath had returned to Downing Street a few hours before not saying a word.

"miserable old sod" thought the officer. Maybe if Wilson came back things would be better. According to colleagues Wilson was a laugh.

Big Ben struck 5 AM and the the officer thought "nearly there" His shift ended at 5.30 and he'd be going home.

Thought of a bath and a few hours sleep were suddenly interrupted by an almighty rumbling noise. Hopkins immediately thought it was an IRA bomb. He turned and rang the bell to be let in when he noticed the rumbling was continuing...not only that it was getting louder.

Hopkins looked down the street. He had to be seeing things surely. There was a tank coming down Downing Street.
 

A very good series IMO. Part 2:


Hopkins stood there in total shock, He was standing face to turret with a tank, He'd never seen one in such close detail before.

From round the side of the tank came a man dressed in military uniform. He looked to have high rank and was of some bearing. The military man strode over to Hopkins and said in a very clipped, correct tone:

"Good morning officer, My name is Major-General Whittaker. I must ask you to hand your weapon over to me please".

Hopkins stood there in total amazement. For a few seconds he was silent and then stammered:

"I..I beg your pardon?"

Whittaker smiled. "Allow me to explain, I am taking command of Downing Street's security"

"On who's authority" demanded Hopkins.

"The Prime Minister's" replied Whittaker.....




Joe Haines, Harold Wilson's press secretary stirred, he was still hungover from the night before. It seemed every man in Huyton, Wilson's constituency had bought him a drink. As he opened his eyes the room seemed to spin and his head felt like dropping off.

The phone next to him buzzed loudly, "bloody hell, not already". Thought Haines. It was probably Wilson.

"Hello, Prime Minister" said Haines.

"what the hell is going on?" said the female voice. Haines recognised it immediately. It was Marcia Williams. Wilson's Private Secretary or as he secretly called her, "she who must be obeyed"

"Marcia, what are you talking about?


Joe listened and then did as he was asked...."this is BBC radio 4, we are receiving reports that a military cortege has entered Downing Street..."

Haines exploded..."what the..."
 
"we now go over to ITN for a newsflash... Good Morning, we have received a statement from Downing Street referring to the current crisis. Approximately 300 soldiers are patrolling the street and have to intents and purposes have taken control.

This cannot be confirmed but we understand the military are there under the instruction of the Prime Minister, Edward Heath but the purpose of this is as yet unclear.

We will have more on this story on the News at One. That is the of this newsflash:


In a secured hotel in Liverpool. Harold Wilson stared at the television smoking his cigar furiously.

Around him was his loyal wife Mary, Marcia Williams, Joe Haines and Bernard Donaghue.


The so-called "kitchen cabinet" remained silent until Wilson's yorkshire tones broke the quiet.

"would someone mind telling me what the hell that was?"

No-one answered.Wilson had a filthy temper which was never seen outside his inner sanctum. He had fought the election like a tiger determined to return to Downing Street and prove all his detractors wrong.

Now at the threshold he was dumbstruck at what had happened.

Bernard who was the newest member of the stammered....

"that's not possible surely"

Joe snapped: "Are you blind, that is possible, we've just fucking seen it!"

Wilson stood up, took his cigar out and said:

Marcia, make sense of this"

Williams took a deep breath and said slowly and carefully:

"Heath is still Prime Minister and still capable of calling a state of emergency"

Haines interjected:

"what about the queen, it's her job to agree"

"Has anyone called the palace" said Mary

"we can't get through" said Joe.
 
If Heath's even slightly associated with the coup, it's the end of him and probably the Conservative party.

Very interesting, if rather implausible, keep going. :)
 

Macragge1

Banned
What's important to note is that the loyalty of the army rests with the Queen rather than with government; whilst it might be possible to get tanks on the streets under the guise of an 'exercise' - (indeed, Alan Clark mistook tanks maneuvering at Heathrow during the early 1970s as some sort of coup attempt by Carrington) - as soon as the forces deployed realised that they were being used so illegally they would either refuse any further illegal orders from civilian 'government' or return themselves to barracks. Certainly, once Her Majesty has protested - and this is pretty much the one time she will come out and openly comment on the political situation - the army will be breaking their oaths by opposing her desire for the democratically elected Wilson government.

If this did come to pass, Heath would be quite quietly but quite firmly arrested by Kent Police (he was in Bexley as the results of the election came in), or by Special Branch or loyalist (read: all of) elements of the Army if he was in Downing Street, and probably moved to an RAF base or Army barracks somewhere else in the country under strong but low-key guard whilst the Wilson Government takes control and starts to try and sort out the mess.
 
He sat quietly in the anteroom going through his speech one more time. A speech that he knew would lead to everything being turned upside down.

He knew that what he was about to do would cause one hell of a shock but he felt he had no choice. Above all he was a patriot and a proud man. He had seen Britain...his Britain. A Britain he had fought for being ground down, destroyed and humiliated.

He could no longer bare it. He had to save his country.

There was a knock on the door. Whittaker entered, "it's time sir"



Big Ben read 5.58 PM. Downing Street was teeming with people. Reporters from around the world were waiting with cameras, microphones and bulky tape recorders.

A message from Downing Street was sent at 3PM:

"To the media outlets of the world

You are requested to come to Downing Street and be ready by 6PM for an announcement on the current situation"

Like moths to a flame they came. BBC, ITN, ABC, NBC and all the rest.

The chatter gave way to a silence as Big Ben struck six.

The famous front door opened. Out came two soldiers followed by a tall man dressed in naval uniform.

This man was known throughout the world as a war hero, a national figure...and a senior member of the royal family

The man was...Lord Louis Mountbatten.

He cleared his throat:

"Ladies and Gentlemen...I have assumed the office of Prime Minister..."
 
It was as if every single person in the UK had been struck dumb by the words uttered by Mountbatten. Here was a man who had gained a reputation as a proud war hero suddenly declaring himself Prime Minister without even fighting an election.

In Huyton Wilson exploded, In Devon North Jeremy Thorpe stared manically at the screen.

Mountbatten continued:

This is a day I hoped would never happen. But I fear it has. I had prayed that the political parties would stop fighting themselves and united to save this country.

We face the biggest threat to our nation for nearly thirty years. From the IRA indiscriminately murdering innocent British people to the industrial turmoil forcing us to have no power.

Every single politician from left to right, wilson to heath is responsible for letting this happen. Instead of facing these problems head on they have prevaricated, vacillated and cowered down.

We are a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. I cannot allow that to continue.

So with a heavy heart and going against the precedent of no royal interference i have assumed command of the government. It is my intention to hold the role for 100 days. During this time I will use the executive powers to do whatever is necessary to end the troubles blighting our country.

At the end of the 100 days I will resign as prime minister and propose new elections

I ask all MP's to return to London and help me form a national government to save our country.

In Northern Ireland. I will today contact the United Nations and ask them to consider putting the province under special mandate.

With regards to the industrial disputes I will be talking to the union leaders and will do whatever it takes to solve the dispute.

Let me assure you all that we will do what we can to save our country in the next 100 days.

Don't be afraid. Life goes on as normal.

Thank You"
 

Macragge1

Banned
It was as if every single person in the UK had been struck dumb by the words uttered by Mountbatten. Here was a man who had gained a reputation as a proud war hero suddenly declaring himself Prime Minister without even fighting an election.

In Huyton Wilson exploded, In Devon North Jeremy Thorpe stared manically at the screen.

Mountbatten continued:

This is a day I hoped would never happen. But I fear it has. I had prayed that the political parties would stop fighting themselves and united to save this country.

We face the biggest threat to our nation for nearly thirty years. From the IRA indiscriminately murdering innocent British people to the industrial turmoil forcing us to have no power.

Every single politician from left to right, wilson to heath is responsible for letting this happen. Instead of facing these problems head on they have prevaricated, vacillated and cowered down.

We are a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. I cannot allow that to continue.

So with a heavy heart and going against the precedent of no royal interference i have assumed command of the government. It is my intention to hold the role for 100 days. During this time I will use the executive powers to do whatever is necessary to end the troubles blighting our country.

At the end of the 100 days I will resign as prime minister and propose new elections

I ask all MP's to return to London and help me form a national government to save our country.

In Northern Ireland. I will today contact the United Nations and ask them to consider putting the province under special mandate.

With regards to the industrial disputes I will be talking to the union leaders and will do whatever it takes to solve the dispute.

Let me assure you all that we will do what we can to save our country in the next 100 days.

Don't be afraid. Life goes on as normal.

Thank You"

There'd be a counter-coup within the week, and elections as soon as humanly possible after that.
 
In Northern Ireland. I will today contact the United Nations and ask them to consider putting the province under special mandate.

This would have been against a backdrop of massive Loyalist opposition to Sunningdale, the very idea would have inflamed tensions and the outcome would have been bad. :(
 
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