Prime Minister Anthony Wedgewood Benn felt strangely calm as he stared down the House of Commons.
A strange feeling, Benn thought. A man of his politics had never expected to command the support of millions of his countrymen, let alone become the Head of Government for the British Nation.
He turned to face his greatest ally, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party himself. He remembered all the times he had butted heads with him, all the pointless arguments. Now, with his followers in his corner, Benn truly understood that he had the ability and the power to enact change, for all the betterment of his countrymen.
Benn cleared his throat and ascended the stand.
"I have often said that British Parliamentary Democracy is a superficial venture. A means of securing a periodical change in management, if you will. For many years, I held this cynical belief, disillusioned by industry, banks, and all other facets of the British establishment that had thrown their nation and their people to the wolves to fill their pockets with just a few more pounds. Forgive me for going off-subject, but to hear men like Sir Frederick Laker talk of "Civilisation" when he would tear apart the premier airline service of his nation, never ceases to fill me with a mixture of hatred, and, of course, a morbid amusement.
However, this triumphant year has proven- to no loss of joy for myself- that I was wrong. In what is the greatest Labour victory since the 1945 General Election, over 17 Percent of British voters and their respective constituencies swung from the Conservative Party and their Liberal Democrat allies over to the Labour Party and our respective allied organizations. No other British election has ever been so lopsided, and, in turn, so decisive to the future of our Nation.
In our time, this victory has given me hope, not just for Britain, but for the world. My faith in our democracy has steeled itself tenfold, as it was not the rifle and the bayonet that has delivered us from our destruction, but the simple ballot box, a seemingly inconsequential vehicle that has enabled the thundering voice of millions of English, Scots, Welsh, and Irish to stand up to the men that seek to divide us and dominate us, and to remind them that the will of Britain is not of the Lord of the Manor, but of the Common Man. The Steelworker, The Railwayman, the Soldier, the Docker, The Miner: all have heard our rallying cry, and they have been reminded of our common duty, not just to ourselves, but to mankind.
We have proven here today that our Nation does not stand on the edge of destruction. We need not the Blood-Soaked excess of Communism, nor will we stand for the Iron-Handed Demon of the Private Sector, sacrificing our livelihoods for their false god of Austrian Economics. Instead, what we have stood for is the helping hand of Democratic Socialism, discarding the destructiveness of capitalism in favor of community, family, and Liberty, a land where men can be given good work, children a future, and democracy a chance at being true to it's original creation.
Our road will not be easy, mind you. There will be obstacles to our struggle, least of which is the dying throes of Neoliberalism that knows that it's back is against the wall. However, in the words of a great ally of our nation, "the only thing we need to fear, is fear itself." Doubt and Superstition is our greatest enemy, my countrymen, and it will prove to be our undoing if we do not guard against it.
Do not be disheartened by the odds. They may very well be stacked against us, but if one thing is constant, it is that Britain always endures. Through disaster, war, and invasion, we have always stood firm against our enemies and won out against the odds. And now, despite the long road ahead, I promise you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. When all is said and done, and when our fight finally comes to an end, we will finally know what it means to be free. No matter who you are, or whichever corner of our island you are from, a man will finally be able to live a life that is his own, and, in the twilight of his years, he will look back and conclude that it was indeed a life well lived.
Bless you all for our triumph, and Almighty God bless our nation, the land of Hope and Glory once again."
The House of Commons unanimously rose to thundering applause. Tears streaming, shouting words of praise and commendation. Outside, Benn could hear the chanting of thousands of Britons. It was truly beautiful, Benn thought.
Benn turned once more to his Deputy Leader. Once again, he reflected on their past relationship. Six years ago, he would have laughed off any indication of political alliance with the man from Norfolk, now, he had no idea how he could have won without him.
Once more, he turned to the stand and spoke into the microphone.
"Once again, I thank you all for our victory. Now, I would like to introduce my closest friend and ally in the Labour Party, and my Deputy Prime Minister. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Baron Shore of Stepney, Peter David Shore."
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