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I admit that this is optimistic and reflects my partisan viewpoint but here goes. I am assuming that we are 'allowed' to have more than 1 pod.
1) Jeffrey Archer is not exposed until after nominations close for the 2000 Mayoral election.
2) Conservatives badly miscalculate, thinking they could get a boost in the local elections from the Romsey By election. They call it a week early. Liberal Democrat still wins.
As a result of the above Susan Kramer comes second on first preference votes and her overwhelming support on second choices means that Livingstone loses.
3) Foot and Mouth disease hits a year later than in OTL. That prevents a slight tory boost in rural areas in 2001 which happened in OTL. So that there are about 4 more Lib Dem MPs and the Tories are actually down both in votes and seats on 1997.
4) Some time just after the Iraq war Charles Kennedy takes and keeps the no alcohol pledge. He has smart people round him who manage to make it a plus (as it was oddly with GW Bush)
5) Ian Duncan Smith decides to fight to keep tory leadership so he is not challenged.
6) Blair refuses to agree timetable for leaving office.
7) There is a lot of talk by Blair/Bush about the need to do 'something' about Iran.