David (or Gordon) pulls it off

One topic that's come up in the various 2010 UK election TLs has been the possibility of an election that delivers a Conservative or Labour majority and I've been thinking of a couple of scenarios that could deliver that, with the possibility of maybe doing one as a short TL.

The first scenario I'm thinking of is one with no debates. It always used to be the tradition in British elections that one party leader (usually the one behind in the polls) would call for a debate and the other wouldn't turn it down but would load their response with so many conditions, often around the participation of other parties, that nothing would ever happen. If we assume such an event happening in 2010 - probably through Cameron's advisers persuading him it's not a good idea - what happens then? There's no Cleggmania, and Bigotgate probably gets butterflied away, so we're likely to see a Lib Dem vote somewhat down on OTL with much attention being focused on the Cameron vs Brown battle.

IMO, short of Cameron having his own version of something like Bigotgate, Brown isn't going to win that one and the most likely outcome is Cameron getting his majority, though perhaps not a large one.

The other option I can think of is a Labour victory, but not a Brown one. Suppose that at some point in 2009 - perhaps someone else quits as well as Purnell after the June election, or his health is worse than OTL - Brown realises that he needs to hand over to someone else.So, he announces his resignation as Labour leader, and states that when the party has elected a new leader, he will ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament. He could also play the statesman card here and say that this will allow him more time to work on global economic matters without the distraction of having to fight an election.

There's no coronation as there was in 2007, as Labour realise that a contested (or seemingly contested) leadership election allows them to dominate the airwaves for the months leading up to the election, but this time David Miliband is elected. It'll be a hard-fought campaign - and the debates will be interesting - but IMO that strategy could deliver either a Labour majority or a situation where a Labour/Lib Dem coalition is workable, especially with Brown out of the way.

Thoughts?
 
The Red and I are already working on a 'Gordon Pulls It Off' timeline, aptly title 'Gordon Pulls It Off'. Rest assured that 'no debates' will indeed be one of the PoDs, though Gordon is going to be leader at the time of the election.
 
The Red and I are already working on a 'Gordon Pulls It Off' timeline, aptly title 'Gordon Pulls It Off'. Rest assured that 'no debates' will indeed be one of the PoDs, though Gordon is going to be leader at the time of the election.

If anyone needs numbers crunching for one of these timelines, I have no problem in doing so, takes about 4 or 5 hours. I can adjust by a fairly wide range of variables such as social class, BME voters, in reciept of pension credit, level of education, etc.
 
If anyone needs numbers crunching for one of these timelines, I have no problem in doing so, takes about 4 or 5 hours. I can adjust by a fairly wide range of variables such as social class, BME voters, in reciept of pension credit, level of education, etc.

We may just get in touch about that - probably some time late next week.
 
The problem at this point with writing a "David Pulls it off" timeline, is that the ramifications of such may not be fully discernable before 2015.
 
They wouldn't have me, I'm gay, but I'm not a "von" or "zu". :D

But, yes, I am going to Berlin.

They're quite pro-gay rights apparently, their leader who stood down this year is openly gay! To be fair I didn't know that until I double-checked.

How nice, do have a good time. Red and I will be sure to give you some numbers to crunch in your spare time, thanks!
 
They're quite pro-gay rights apparently, their leader who stood down this year is openly gay! To be fair I didn't know that until I double-checked.

How nice, do have a good time. Red and I will be sure to give you some numbers to crunch in your spare time, thanks!

Indeed, have a great trip, I'm going to Germany this summer as well and I can't wait. :D
 
Indeed, have a great trip, I'm going to Germany this summer as well and I can't wait. :D

Oh, I'm there quite frequently both for leisure and in a work capacity. More usually München and Köln than Berlin.

The FDP are pretty sound on equalities issues, it's just they are very upper-crust.
 
The Red and I are already working on a 'Gordon Pulls It Off' timeline, aptly title 'Gordon Pulls It Off'. Rest assured that 'no debates' will indeed be one of the PoDs, though Gordon is going to be leader at the time of the election.
I shall watch out for it, then.
 
The Red and I are already working on a 'Gordon Pulls It Off' timeline, aptly title 'Gordon Pulls It Off'. Rest assured that 'no debates' will indeed be one of the PoDs, though Gordon is going to be leader at the time of the election.

However did you get so creative ;)
 
How about a "Nick pulled it off" section. If the Lib Dems could have upped their game in 50 more seats we would have Labour and Cons both with 257 seats and the Lib Dems with 107.

Still need a co-olition government, by Nick would have gone with Labour (as long as Gordon left office) if he had the option.
 
How about a "Nick pulled it off" section. If the Lib Dems could have upped their game in 50 more seats we would have Labour and Cons both with 257 seats and the Lib Dems with 107.

Still need a co-olition government, by Nick would have gone with Labour (as long as Gordon left office) if he had the option.

So by wasting the right of the party vote and now looking like he is propping up a dead government.
 
How about a "Nick pulled it off" section. If the Lib Dems could have upped their game in 50 more seats we would have Labour and Cons both with 257 seats and the Lib Dems with 107.

Still need a co-olition government, by Nick would have gone with Labour (as long as Gordon left office) if he had the option.

I'd check out For Want of a Debate by Stodge, he has this basic scenario with the Liberals winning the national vote but only winning 150 seats.
 
How about a "Nick pulled it off" section. If the Lib Dems could have upped their game in 50 more seats we would have Labour and Cons both with 257 seats and the Lib Dems with 107.

Still need a co-olition government, by Nick would have gone with Labour (as long as Gordon left office) if he had the option.

There's little evidence to suggest Cleggstone actually wanted to go with Labour at all. He's a classical liberal, so why shack up with socialists? The result was the best he could have hoped for - no choice, he tells the left of his party, but to go with the Tories.

And I'd second the recommendation of For Want Of A Debate. Iain's Were You Still Up For Balls? is also good, and has a much more successful Lib Dems (though largely at Labour, not Tory as in Debate, expense).
 
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