The far-right NNP held a rally outside Westminster Abbey - Mountbatten's final resting place
“Everything is as grey as granite. The skies, the clouds and the vast Westminster Abbey, where rests the body of Louis Mountbatten, the last dictator of Britain. Inside is no different. The church is as wide and tall as any cathedral. And all it is filled with the cold, stone grey. There is no denying the sheer, intimidating power of both spectacle and location. Britain's SDP government understands the potency of Westminster Abbey. Indeed, much energy has been devoted to taming it. Since 2008, the site has been closed to general visitors; only those attending service are allowed. The official explanation is restoration work. But most believe the government wants to ward off those who might be drawn by the two words, etched into the church floor, Louis Montbatten.” - The UK’s Election and the lingering legacy of Mountbatten, Guy Hedgecoe POLITICO (2012)
In the aftermath of the debate where no candidate landed a knockout blow, momentum for the third parties continued to grow. Meacher had decided to put the Outrage protests at the heart of his campaign, and could often be seen at rallies outside tents urging the protesters to use their votes. Meacher was the only candidate to denounce the often harsh tactics of the police; describing Met operations as “violent oppression”. Some polls showed the Alternative’s support as high as 17 or 18%, with one YouGov poll showing the party just four points behind the SDP, within touching distance of becoming the UK’s official opposition party.
Whilst Meacher had won over many of the Outrage protesters, there was a smaller faction within the movement who campaigned for a spoiling of the ballot. They hadn’t forgotten the Alternative’s support for Johnson’s austerity u-turn. This radical faction of the Outrage movement argued they should burn the whole political system down and create a new electoral faction from scratch once the dust settled. The decentralised nature of the Outrage protests meant no formal decision could be made, but polling showed a majority of protesters planning to vote for the Alternative, and they received the endorsement of several Outrage leaders, including Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Ash Sarkar and Laurie Penny. Having these energised young women alongside 70 year old Meacher helped breathe new life into the Alternative.
The Alternative hoped to emulate Syriza in becoming the official opposition
Compared to Meacher’s dynamic campaign on the streets, and Hague's self-assured stable pitch to voters, the SDP was increasingly in meltdown. Miliband’s interventions became increasingly aggressive; he warned that National planned to cut the state pension and the winter fuel allowance saying in a letter to voters “"if you are a pensioner you could lose your winter fuel allowance, free travel, eye tests, swimming, TV licence and passport and your pension credit". None of which were mentioned in National’s manifesto. Miliband had also struggled to unite his bitterly divided party, with one investigation by the BBC showing Chancellor Alan Sugar had not partaken in a single campaign stop outside his province, refusing to appear in any national literature or political broadcasts.
“SDP prime-ministerial candidate David Miliband tried to resurrect his flagging campaign on Sunday by taking a stand on the issue of education. In a speech delivered in Derbyshire, he proposed introducing an examination period for teachers. Under this system, education graduates opting for a teaching position would have to first sit a national examination. Miliband's proposals are modeled on the Medical Licensing Assessment that puts medical graduates through an examination. Depending on the grade, candidates select a specialization and a center where they will train. Upon successful completion of this internship, the physician obtains a position at a public hospital. The system is praised across Europe. Miliband said he would address poor school results by targeting primary education.” - Miliband focuses on Education in Keynote Speech, BBC News Bulletin (2012)
A National victory was a foregone conclusion in the last few days of the campaign, the main question was the scale of this victory. National led the SDP by as many as 11 points in one poll and as little as four points in another. The Social Democrats knew that National had few friends in Parliament, if National’s leader could be squeezed, they might be in with a chance of cobbling together another rainbow coalition. But if National led by eight, nine, or even ten points then Miliband would lose all legitimacy to try and form a government. Even with a convincing victory National would still struggle to form a Government, Reform would be it’s natural coalition partner but Hague could still need help from the SNP to push him over the line, and after being burned once, John Swinney would demand a steep price for such a deal.
Miliband's sudden concern for public services rung hollow after years of austerity
Whoever became Prime Minister would also have to deal with mass feelings of apathy among the British people. One poll by Survation showed as little as 49% of the electorate planning to vote, the choice of austerity, or austerity implemented more vigorously was not a decision many were happy making. Among the young, with over 40% unemployment, turnout polling was even lower despite Meacher’s Outrage charm offensive. Even the paramilitary stalwarts of the SNLA and Civil Assistance seemed bored of the whole affair, brawls in the streets were kept to a minimum and there was only the occasional pipe bomb in the train station bin to spice things up. The youth had given up.
As polls opened people trudged to the polls, in mostly empty village halls and leisure centers - it was a far cry for the scenes filmed in 2005, with people queuing round the block to cast their ballot. The high unemployment and crushing austerity had created a political culture of despair, the Troika had broken spirits where even the plotters of 2009 had failed. Whilst the punditry expected blue flags to hang from every town hall, no one was particularly excited for a Hague Government. But the loneliest figure was David Miliband, who was heckled whilst voting in his Northumberland Constituency. Hague at least got to win by default, all Miliband could do was stop his party from collapsing entirely as the sharks circled.
“A deep economic malaise, exacerbated by the euro crisis, dominates all other issues as polls open in the UK. Voters are aware that their fate for the next four years will be decided not in London, but in Berlin and Paris, or by stock markets in Shanghai. There is a debate, of sorts, between the SDP and National Party about how to deal with a crisis that sees one in five Brits jobless and a stagnating economy. The SDP, whom most Brits blame for their dire situation, proposes some stimulus alongside austerity policies. Its leader, David Miliband seized on last week’s cut in ECB interest rates as a sign that his thinking is in line with the European mainstream. National keeps its cards close to its chest, with a programme of mind-boggling vagueness.” - UK’s troubled Social Democrats fast losing support to left and right
The National Leader was dubbed "William Vague" by the liberal press