I suspect this won't get much interest outside of UK political bods, but I was just reading Iain's alt-1992 timeline.
As a Wallasey lad, I saw Lynda Chalker's name, grunted and went to find out how long she'd been an MP before Angela Eagle took over. I was then shocked to discover that since 1945, Wallasey has only had three MPs! Ernest Marples, Lynda Chalker and now Angela Eagle. All three have held various jobs in cabinet or shadow cabinet, though none of them ever (well, probably ever) got anywhere near the top job.
Now, in 1987 it looks like a chap called Laurence Duffy came within a whisker of unseating Lynda Chalker and a quick google suggests 'Lol' Duffy is very left leaning and may have only lost in 1987 due to Frank Field's intervention to tell people in Wallasey not to vote Labour.
So... let's turn the result around a bit. Suppose Duffy wins in 1987? It makes no odds to the 1987 government majority but with Duffy in place, Angela Eagle's career (such that it is) is either stillborn or must come elsewhere.
How does the next twenty to thirty years play out? Eagle's biggest moment recently is her failed coup against Corbyn this summer, whilst I suspect Duffy is likely to be a Corbyn-like back bench serial rebel.
As a Wallasey lad, I saw Lynda Chalker's name, grunted and went to find out how long she'd been an MP before Angela Eagle took over. I was then shocked to discover that since 1945, Wallasey has only had three MPs! Ernest Marples, Lynda Chalker and now Angela Eagle. All three have held various jobs in cabinet or shadow cabinet, though none of them ever (well, probably ever) got anywhere near the top job.
Now, in 1987 it looks like a chap called Laurence Duffy came within a whisker of unseating Lynda Chalker and a quick google suggests 'Lol' Duffy is very left leaning and may have only lost in 1987 due to Frank Field's intervention to tell people in Wallasey not to vote Labour.
So... let's turn the result around a bit. Suppose Duffy wins in 1987? It makes no odds to the 1987 government majority but with Duffy in place, Angela Eagle's career (such that it is) is either stillborn or must come elsewhere.
How does the next twenty to thirty years play out? Eagle's biggest moment recently is her failed coup against Corbyn this summer, whilst I suspect Duffy is likely to be a Corbyn-like back bench serial rebel.