Edward Heath assassinated in 1973

POD: The IRA manage to assasinate Edward Heath in 1973
Who succeeds him?
Thatcher? Whitelaw?
What's the consequences for the UK?
What happens in Northern Ireland and the Republic?
 
The IRA might think 'great' but they lose big time long term. they have now shot themselves in the foot-just like they did with Mountbatten.
 
I think it is likely that someone from the far right would win the tory leadership and a fairly early general election.

I guess it would have been Joseph (who had not made his don't let the poor breed too much speech yet)
 
Thatcher was the most junior Cabinet minister and had absolutely no following at the time within the party. Reggie Maudling, Robert Carr or Willie Whitelaw, One Nationals all.
 
Who takes over depends somewhat on who takes the blame. I assume it would be Carr, but Whitelaw is Northern Ireland Secretary. Even if Whitelaw avoids the immediate blame, he'll be greatly tarnished because of his dealings with the IRA Council the previous year. Maudling's career has been finished for a year by this point, and Thatcher is a nondescript middle-ranking (female) member of the cabinet.

It's hard to see who would win at this point. Powell would give it a shot, but if he does, then the establishment will be more likely to coalesce around a safe pair of hands, and nobody would seriously want to put someone like Powell in at such a point. I wouldn't rule out Douglas-Home being parachuted in as a caretaker until the next election. The butterflies here are probably sufficient for the Tories to win the next election, but I wouldn't put the house on it.

I don't honestly think it would have the apocalyptic impact on Northern Ireland people always seek with these kind of PODs. Internment and the tough approach of the early seventies will go on longer though, making a settlement as elusive as ever.
 
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