Heath Declares martial law

[nezza]

March 1974.

The general election results in a hung parliament.

Fearing either civil unrest Heath declares martial law. Troops are dispatched to airports, power stations and Buckingham Palace.

What are the ramifications?

 

[Riain]

The Queen uses her reserve powers and sacks him for declaring martial law without an actual problem.

 

[PSL]

Why would Heath declare martial law in the first place?

 

[nezza]

Why would Heath declare martial law in the first place?

I’m trying to imagine Heath as panicky and stubborn. Although
I think this thread is a non starter.

 

[Politibrit]

You'll have to explain why Heath has declared martial law. A hung parliament is nowhere near good enough reason to do so in and of itself. Imagine if Brown had done the same thing after 2010 or May after 2017. It would sound just as ridiculous in 1974.

 

[Seandineen]

Perhaps during the winter of discontent, Callahan might consider it. Basic services have broken down.

 

[von Mises]

After Andrei Gromyko is spotted wearing a lavender handkerchief in his top pocket...

 

[TRH]

I’m trying to imagine Heath as panicky and stubborn. Although
I think this thread is a non starter.

If there was nuclear war with the Soviets, then I think people would forgive martial law in the ensuing apocalyptic destruction. Otherwise, people wouldn't simply stand for that.

There are probably other emergency situations in which that would be tolerated, but they'd have to be almost as bad/intractable as the nuclear war. I mean, if WW2 didn't do it...

 

[Politibrit]

There are probably other emergency situations in which that would be tolerated, but they'd have to be almost as bad/intractable as the nuclear war. I mean, if WW2 didn't do it...

Perhaps that coup that some nutjobs in the military and MI5 were talking about actually happening would be enough, although that was really a more against Wilson than Heath.

 

[PSL]

Perhaps that coup that some nutjobs in the military and MI5 were talking about actually happening would be enough, although that was really a more against Wilson than Heath.

A union lead coup vs Maggie

 

[nezza]

At a stretch I’d say heath feared a communist coup.

 

[von Mises]

At a stretch I’d say heath feared a communist coup.

And who might he possibly consider capable of pulling that off?