alternatehistory.com

Just some thoughts after the recent election.

New Labour won three elections under Blair, yet somehow the Labour Party abandoned this winning formula and went back to their comfort zone. It's like Real Madrid or Barcelona selling Ronaldo or Messi.

The major cause for this change in attitude surely has to be the Iraq War. Blair's staunch support for it alienated a large section of the left, both the voters and within his party.

Without Iraq, New Labour would not have been as "discredited" as it would have been. Even if "Old Labour" supporters might become disillusioned with it and drift to other left parties, it would not have prompted the higher-ups in Labour after Blair to distance themselves from such a winning formula.

Its domestic policy was popular with the middle class, it was seen as in-touch with Middle Britain, it was "electable", compared to the Conservatives then, which veered right until Cameron dragged it back to the centre.

Yet I cannot see Blair not throwing his lot with Bush in the war. So the only other possible POD would be to remove 9/11 altogether, whether Gore wins or not in 2000 should not be too relevant.

This is just a musing as a foreigner. Maybe the Brit experts here can provide more insight?
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