Oliver Smedley was a well-known figure in British politics from the 1950s till his death in 1989. ...well, at least he was if you have an interest in classical liberalism and pirate radio. Oliver Smedley was that unusual clique that used to exist within the British Liberal Party: The classical liberals. Smedley, along with others such as the IEA's Arthur Seldon would eventually leave the party due to their opposition to the European Economic Community. But it should be noted that he stood in election for the Liberal Party in Saffron Walden twice, facing the Conservative incumbent (and later Chancellor of the Exchequer under Winston Churchill) Rab Butler, in 1950 and 1951. Both times he lost.
But I've been toying with the idea a little, and I've been curious about the following scenario: In the 1951 election, in a surprise upset, Oliver Smedley is elected MP for Saffron Walden in one of the largest swings of that election, and after that Saffron Walden remains a safe Liberal seat. In our timeline, after the 1951 election, the Liberal Party has merely 6 MPs (yeah, there's pretty much little Nick Clegg can do that will make him the most unsuccessful Liberal leader in history...
), so with Smedley's surprising victory, that number is now upped to 7.
Comprising a seventh of the whole of the parliamentary Liberal Party, how much influence can Smedley exert on the direction the Liberal Party will take? Is it possible that he is elected party leader one day?
Discuss.
But I've been toying with the idea a little, and I've been curious about the following scenario: In the 1951 election, in a surprise upset, Oliver Smedley is elected MP for Saffron Walden in one of the largest swings of that election, and after that Saffron Walden remains a safe Liberal seat. In our timeline, after the 1951 election, the Liberal Party has merely 6 MPs (yeah, there's pretty much little Nick Clegg can do that will make him the most unsuccessful Liberal leader in history...
Comprising a seventh of the whole of the parliamentary Liberal Party, how much influence can Smedley exert on the direction the Liberal Party will take? Is it possible that he is elected party leader one day?
Discuss.