Alternate Leaders #2 'Giorraíonn Beirt Bóthar'

[Japhy]

Absurdity and Realism combine nicely.

Everyone else has rather said the good stuff already, but I'll happily add myself to the fans of this brief little work. Its nice to see the European and World economies start to at least regain footing these days, but an economic wreck that leads to a complete and utter load of chaos like this was something that was unfortunately in the cards a few years ago, remembering that, I could totally comprehend the chaos wracking the political system to bring this about. Quite fun, can't wait to see what comes next in this little series of Alternate Leaders.

 

[V-J]

I can't tell if Liberals if just the Queen and Adams forgetting that the 90s and 00s happened, or if there was no merge ITTL. David Miliband reaching the top implies that there was a change in the 90s, especially if Mandelson is in a position of influence and Blair managed a similar landslide in 1997. I'd say that maybe Brown ends up out of the picture, and there's a divide in the LibDems over whether to go with Tony or stay out? Hell, maybe Owen wins out and it's more the SDP having everyone leave it to join the Liberals.

If Britain is in the Euro, I'm guessing there's already been a large divide among the Right over whether to leave it immediately or not, enough of a mental red line to leave the party rather than go into coalition? I can see the EU botching up their reputation by suggesting Mandelson lead a coalition of the established parties, likely enough to push people to go for the radical parties, from the Anti-Austerity Left in Sinn Fein, SNP, PC, and the Greens, to the Hard Right with an inflated UKIP acting as some sort of Leviathan in England where the Greens lack support. Wouldn't be surprised if any party was lucky to get more than 200 seats alone.

I don't know if you said that Sinn Fein stood in seats outside of Norn Iron or not, or if they just backed their respective partners, but I can definitely see a backlash in the wings from the Right. DD is doomed, I wouldn't be surprised if 1997 looked like a pleasant sunny day compared to TTL's election, and Parliament will probably become highly acrimonious, at best.

Great job, V-J, a really good piece of work.

Thanks, and some interesting speculation here.

As I think I said above, I never had a specific POD in mind for this, I just came up with the concept and worked backward at fleshing it out - something which I've always been distrustful of, usually I've read about something, found a POD or a trend, and kept reading until my imagination kicks in. I might do a little list in the list thread at some point to put some backstory in.

Great craic, great craic indeed. This is great and you're even greater.

I like how the absurdity of the scenario isn't lost on the characters, and I think my favourite part may well be when the Queen implies that she needs protection from militant republicans.

It's joyous to see so much praise for the characterisation. It's always something I worry about when writing prose. I'm pleased as well that you liked the little pieces of dry humour I inserted, though I think my humour is so dry it may go past some people.

Seeing the impact that the SNP has had across the UK in the past week, the idea of a "foreign" party rising to power is very much in line with the old zeitgesit. I was watching a video of the GeRA recently where he speaks on Scottish independence but goes off on a tangent about the north of England and Westminster in general, I could almost imagine myself watching it from this surreal reality you've woven.

Thanks. The extent to which people's horizons change in unexpected situations was indeed one of the things I was keen on this being focused on.

Excellent prose! You really have a skill with dialogue and I really enjoy the whole awkwardness of the scenario. The ambiguity of the ending as well is great, allowing for multiple readings.

Truly splendid!

Very flattering praise, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

This resembles your last one-shot in that it is a good example of doing something totally ridiculous in a very serious way and somehow it works. Which is also what I'm going to try to do with my upcoming TLIAW (if I can ever finish the spreadsheet) so I hope I can emulate this balance!

I'm now one of the yardstick against which you're working? Now that is flattering!

I must echo the praise that has thus far been lavished on this; it's really quite wonderful. I'm afraid I'm in no state of mind to give constructive feedback, so I'll just add that I enjoyed this immensely.

Thanks again, Ed. I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

Absurdity and Realism combine nicely.

Everyone else has rather said the good stuff already, but I'll happily add myself to the fans of this brief little work. Its nice to see the European and World economies start to at least regain footing these days, but an economic wreck that leads to a complete and utter load of chaos like this was something that was unfortunately in the cards a few years ago, remembering that, I could totally comprehend the chaos wracking the political system to bring this about. Quite fun, can't wait to see what comes next in this little series of Alternate Leaders.

Yes, Britain has got off very lightly in recent years. UKIP matches the trend towards populism we've seen in Europe, but it's amazingly mild compared to the likes of the FN or similar. When the shit seriously hits the fan economically and socially people are not the most discerning about who they channel their anger into; so waving Sinn Fein's backstory about is not really a damper on the plausibility to my mind. I was certainly stretching it at some points, but I didn't think that was one of them.

I certainly have some future ideas knocking about, so they'll hopefully be arriving at some point. I have another, bigger project to get back to though. But considering I literally wrote the vast majority of this in about two hours one afternoon, equally there might be another one of these popping up relatively soon.

 

[Mumby]

Adding my own praise to the pile. Wonderfully awkward meeting between two people who are naturally opposed, but need to work together. Very, very interesting.

 

[Techdread]

I always love reading your one-shot scenarios, V-J, and this no exception to that.

I'm going to add my own praise for the characterisations on both sides there; an excellent delivery of a scene filled with uncomfortable awkwardness and necessary for the greater good.

 

[V-J]

I always love reading your one-shot scenarios, V-J, and this no exception to that.

I'm going to add my own praise for the characterisations on both sides there; an excellent delivery of a scene filled with uncomfortable awkwardness and necessary for the greater good.

Adding my own praise to the pile. Wonderfully awkward meeting between two people who are naturally opposed, but need to work together. Very, very interesting.

Thanks chaps.

Well, I'm going to be off for a few weeks, but it's in a good cause of getting back to work on my big Murica politics project. Hopefully I'll actually be able to produce a proper, complete timeline at some point soon.

 

[Orville_third]

That. Was. Brilliant.