The Downfall of New Labour

BBC News
Livingstone implicated in donations scandal

August 3rd 2004

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The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has today been implicated in a series of improper donation claims made during his successful bid for re-election this year. Most of the accused claims come from the RMT union, a key backer of Livingstone's transport plans led by General Secretary Bob Crow. They exceeded the £50,000 donation limit per donor and were made in bulk between January and June of this year. Livingstone won re-election comfortably despite Labour losing 4 councils and 100 councillors in the rest of the country. The Electoral Commission has announced it will investigate these excessive and non-declared donations and that a result will be founded within the next week.

The Mayor's Office denied the rumours and criticized the decisions of the Electoral Commission as did the RMT. Downing Street however pledged full co-operation from Labour Party treasurers into the matter, with the Prime Minister going so far as to publicly petition Livingstone to do the same with his campaign treasurers. Meanwhile, the Conservative Local Government spokesman Eric Pickles called for a full parliamentary inquiry into Mr Livingstone's finances saying "If his campaign smells dodgy, then he himself must be seen to, if he is dodgy he should be investigated by the authorities and police even". BBC News currently understands that Mr Livingstone will be making a public statement on the matter shortly.

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The Sun
RED KEN'S FREE COMMIE FLIGHTS

August 7th 2004

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The Sun has learned today that the embattled Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has also been the recipient of free flights and premium first class service on the hosting of several prominent leaders with Communist links; in addition he also has received perks on train travel courtesy of the RMT. The flights took place between January 2003 and November 2003 as the hospitality of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was extended to the Mayor in light of transport contracts between London and the country. The Sun even asked the office of President Chavez about this, needless to say we were told to "f**k off" by a grumpy aide. The two men were pictured recently in July at a global environment summit, as both men are keen green politicians.

However this label is obviously phoney as Livingstone accumulated many air miles in his travels away from the city. But that is not the end, the donations of the RMT have also extended personally to Mr Livingstone who enjoyed first class travel on trains at their expense in return for favoring them in transport union decisions. We at the Sun find this behaviour to be utterly corrupt and vile and we solemly call upon a parliamentary inquiry like Eric Pickles, the Tory local government spokesman has suggested and in light of these new findings supplied to us by various sources, we also call upon Mr Livingstone to resign his position.

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"Ken, it's the Prime Minister.
Good evening, Prime Minister
Listen, Ken. This whole donations business is looking bad for the whole - party, not just you. You need to submit to an inquiry fast.
Prime Minister, I am not answerable to you, I am answerable to London
Exactly, Ken. Stop fooling around and show the people that you want to resolve this, get some credibility back.
You are not my boss
I am the leader of your party and your Prime Minister, you'll bloody do what I tell you to do. We re-admitted you into this party out of goodness and faith, despite how you screwed us over in 2000.
Simply because you couldn't accept the real change...
Real change? What so you do some dodgy flights and claims, no Ken, that's over. I want you to resign
Resign?
Yes, or else I'll have you ejected from the Labour Party and removed from office by a vote of the GLA
Jump or be pushed, is that what your saying?
Yes
Then you'll bloody have a fight on your hands
- Call ends as Livingstone hangs up

Transcript of a phone conversation recorded by MI5 on August 9th 2004 and released under the Thirty Year Rule in 2034.


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Sky News
Ken Livingstone refuses to resign, Brown calls for GLA vote

August 10th 2004


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BBC News
Ken Livingstone forced to resign after GLA confidence vote

August 17th 2004

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Ken Livingstone tendered his resignation as Mayor of London today after the Greater London Assembly voted 16 - 9 to show that it did not have confidence in Livingstone. The Mayor has been embattled since the start of the month when it emerged donations to his re-election campaign had been improperly declared and excessive beyond the limit. Further allegations emerged about his accepting free flights and perks from the Venezuelan President and RMT General Secretary; who both denied rumours. Finally, an alleged bitter phone call between him and Gordon Brown sealed his fate when the PM called for the GLA to vote which was accepted by the Chairman.

For the past week, Livingstone frantically tried to ring around support but in the end he failed as an overwhelming majority voted against him. His resignation speech was brief; he spoke of his achievements and pledged to fight the inquiry and allegations and attacked the Sun, the PM and the Conservatives for "questioning a directly-elected Mayor and threatening to destabilize London". Finally, he paid tribute to Nicky Gavron; the Deputy Mayor signed the official paperwork to make her Mayor after the speech by Mr Livingstone.

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Newly installed Mayor Gavron made a touching speech about Livingstone but sternly warned that there would be no room for "shady deals and cosy backroom chats" while she is Mayor. The new Mayor is 63 and is a former Labour councillor in Haringey and an art lecturer. She was originally Labour's 2004 mayoral candidate but dropped out when Livingstone was re-invited into the party; she is a strong environmental campaigner.
 
So who's gonna be standing at the special mayoral election? I assume Gavron will be standing for Labour: will the Conservatives or Lib Dems bother running new candidates is the question.

And on a more personal note: HOW CAN YOU DEPOSE KEN? HOW? :eek:
 
In order to speed up this timeline and bring events to more interesting areas, I will be posting in three month periods

September 2004 to December 2004

September 2nd 2004 - John Kerry accepts the Democratic Presidential nomination and selects Oregon Senator Ron Wyden as his Vice Presidential nominee due to his record against Iraq. This overshadows the Republican convention in late August where Bush and Cheney were re-nominated.

September 4th 2004 - Prime Minister Gordon Brown announces that there will be no special Mayoral election in London and concludes that Mayor Gavron will serve into the 2008 elections. Uproar about this comes from many alienated London Labour voters

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The Commons as the results of the vote are announced

September 16th 2004 - A debate takes place in the House about the re-invented civil liberties bill, it passes three days later and will be enacted following Lord's and Common's scrutiny in February.

September 19th to September 23rd 2004 - The Liberal Democrat conference takes place in Bournemouth; Charles Kennedy offers pledges to pull out from Iraq, make university fees cheaper and a pledge to reduce global warming.

September 26th to September 30th 2004 - The Labour conference takes place in Newcastle; Gordon Brown makes a resolute speech offering fresh domestic policy with reforms to transport and the environment. He also makes a pledge to reduce taxes for young families; this gains Labour a strong nine point lead in the polls

October 2nd to October 6th 2004 - The Conservative conference takes place in Manchester; Michael Howard pledges a true conservative manifesto and begins with promises to end illegal immigration, fairer taxes for middle classes and a pledge to continue the USA-UK alliance.

October 13th 2004 - The first debate of the US elections take place; John Kerry is named the winner by a narrow margin.

October 14th 2004 - A coup takes place in Equatorial Guinea consisting of British and Australian mercenaries; Severo Moto of the Progress Party is installed as President backed up by rebel Army members. Clashes take place in the capital city between loyalists and rebels. Mercenaries captured in March in an attempted coup are freed.

October 15th 2004 - Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett goes to the UN to defend Britain's alleged involvement in Equatorial Guinea.

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The extent of the riots in Equatorial Guinea

October 23rd 2004 - Severo Moto leaves Equatorial Guinea to defend his government at the UN, riots still continue in the country but are claimed to be under control by the President. Former President Teodoro Mbasogo declares Moto's rule illegal and attempts to reclaim his position by force. CPDS Secretary General Placido Abogo who has been appointed Acting Vice President by Moto announces that he has issued an arrest warrant for Mbasogo.

October 24th 2004 - Severo Moto gives a speech at the UN calling for backing to depose Mbasogo's regime and calls for the release of Sir Mark Thatcher from house arrest. He returns to his country that afternoon where he finds that his rebel army backed up by the expert mercenaries is winning against Mbasogo's forces.

October 31st 2004 - Moto's army wins control and the riots cease as many members of Mbasogo's regime and party are exiled from the country instead of executed, a move which sparks international praise. President Moto makes an address to his people pledging an end to the violence and peaceful elections for 2005.

November 2nd 2004 - John Kerry wins the US Presidential election by a margin of 283 electoral votes to that of President Bush's 255 electoral votes. In his victory speech, President-elect Kerry pledges a review of Iraq War policy and calls for peace in the Middle East. It is believed he won due to carrying some Northwest states such as Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and South Dakota thanks to the positioning of his running mate Ron Wyden.

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John Forbes Kerry - 44th President of the United States

November 3rd 2004 - World leaders call to congratulate President-elect Kerry; Gordon Brown offers him a state visit to the United Kingdom in March.

November 14th 2004 - Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Miliband undercuts his boss, Chancellor Jack Straw in a TV interview when he goes against the Chancellor's comments

November 21st 2004 - The Pre-Budget report is published with pledges to reduce taxes for the lower class, Chancellor Straw champions Labour's claim as the party of the working classes, Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin attacks the Government for irresponsibly throwing away money.

December 1st 2004 - President-elect Kerry announces some foreign policy administration picks, he chooses General (ret.) Wesley Clark as the incoming National Security Advisor, former Congressman and former House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Lee Hamilton as Secretary of State. Rounding out the choices, he selects Togo West, former Secretary of the Army and Secretary of Veteran's Affairs under Clinton as the new Secretary of Defense.

December 13th 2004 - Sir Mark Thatcher is released from house arrest after former Prime Minister Lady Thatcher pays bail

December 20th 2004 - A week after his release, Sir Mark is shot and killed in the street in Mayfair by a former member of Mbasogo's regime. His death sparks outcry, the former member, Louis Umbeki is arrested.

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Sir Mark Thatcher, (15th August 1953 - 20th December 2004)

December 24th 2004 - Lady Thatcher comes out of retirement in a recorded statement from her home; she strongly condemns the government's business in Equatorial Guinea and calls for fresh elections. She asks the government to charge the British mercenaries and diplomats involved and to also invoke the previous government on humans rights, murder and conspiracy charges, calling for a war crimes trial against former President Mbasogo.

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Lady Thatcher making her statement on the porch of her London home

 
January 2005 to April 2005

January 1st 2005 - Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott suffers a heart attack at a New Year's party, he is rushed to hospital where it is found he needs a triple bypass. To this extent, commentators begin speculating on his position

January 3rd 2005 - The new US Congress is sworn in; the Senate holds a Republican Majority with 51-49, Ted Stevens is President pro tempore of the Senate, Bill Frist is Majority Leader and Mitch McConnell is Majority Whip. Harry Reid and Richard Durbin serve as Minority Leader and Whip respectively.

The new Democratic Congress holds a 230-205 majority thanks to a sweep of Northern seats, Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as the new Speaker with John Murtha as Majority Leader and Steny Hoyer as Majority Whip. Dennis Hastert refuses to be demoted to Minority Leader and leaves the House leadership, Tom DeLay is the Minority Leader with Roy Blunt as Minority Whip.

January 5th 2005 - President-elect Kerry announces further Cabinet picks, he selects former Federal Reserve Vice Chairman and former OMB Director Alice Rivlin as Secretary of the Treasury, former Presidential candidate and recently retired US Senator Bob Graham as Secretary of Homeland Security and former Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick to serve as the new Attorney General

January 13th 2005 - John Prescott undergoes an operation for a triple bypass, it is successful but he needs at least a few months recovery. To this extent, Gordon Brown and Party Chairman Alan Johnson visit him in hospital and accepts his resignation as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

January 16th 2005 - Most of the Kerry administration officials are in the process of being confirmed; Bob Graham is confirmed ready for Inauguration Day.

January 19th 2005 - Australian Prime Minister Mark Latham who seized power in a hung parliament in June 2004 is defeated on a key piece of healthcare legislation and rumours circulate he will have to call another election.

January 20th 2005 - John Kerry is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, in his speech he thanks George W Bush for his efforts to protect the nation from terrorism; he then talks about withdrawal from Iraq and plans to balance the budget along with reforms to education keeping No Child Left Behind, comprehensive health care and announces the US will sign the Kyoto protocol

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The President-elect shaking hands with wellwishers before his swearing in

January 25th 2005 - Gordon Brown announces that elections for Deputy Leader will take place on March 2nd 2005 at Labour's annual Spring Conference in Brighton

February 2nd 2005 - Nominations close for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, those standing are Jack Straw, Tessa Jowell, Alistair Darling and John Hutton.
David Miliband had been reported to be mulling a bid but concluded he needed experience first.

February 10th 2005 - The final members of the Kerry Cabinet are confirmed

The Kerry Cabinet
Secretary of State - Lee Hamilton (D-IN)
Secretary of the Treasury - Alice Rivlin (D-PA)
Secretary of Defense - Togo West (D-NC)
Attorney General - Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Secretary of the Interior - John Kitzhaber (D-WA)
Secretary of Agriculture - Charles Stenholm (D-TX)
Secretary of Commerce - Grant Aldonas (R-MN)
Secretary of Labor - Linda Chavez-Thompson (D-TX)
Secretary of Health and Human Services - Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development - Manny Diaz (I-FL)
Secretary of Transportation - Jim Oberstar (D-MN)
Secretary of Energy - Carol Browner (D-FL)
Secretary of Education - Joel Klein (D-NY)
Secretary of Homeland Security - Bob Graham (R-FL)

Other Administration Officials
Vice President - Ron Wyden (D-OR)
White House Chief of Staff - Mary Beth Cahill (D-MA)
White House Press Secretary - David Wade (D-NY)
National Security Advisor - Wesley Clark (D-IL)

February 16th 2005 - Former President Bush and Former Prime Minister Blair conduct a visit to Iraq where they announce that they will campaign on the issue of democratic elections there

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Bush and Blair during their press conference in Baghdad

February 22nd 2005 - Gordon Brown celebrates one year in office as Prime Minister, he does a special interview with David Frost where he talks about his hopes for 2005, he also pledges to work with the US on Iraq.

March 2nd 2005 - Jack Straw is elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, with Tessa Jowell second followed by Darling and Hutton.

March 6th 2005 - Gordon Brown reshuffles his Cabinet in preparation for the general election, widely expected to be called before the year is out

The Brown Ministry Cabinet

From March 6th 2005


Gordon Brown — Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury
Jack Straw — Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer
Lord Goldsmith — Lord Chancellor and First Secretary of State
Alistair Darling — Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of
Commons
Baroness Amos — Lord Privy Seal & Leader of the House of Lords
David Lammy — Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Margaret Beckett — Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Tessa Jowell — Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Women
Patricia Hewitt — Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Peter Hain — Secretary of State for Transport
Paul Boateng — Secretary of State for Health
Paul Murphy — Secretary of State for Defence
Robin Cook — Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Andrew Smith — Secretary of State for Education and Skills
John Hutton — Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Alan Johnson — Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Hilary Benn — Secretary of State for International Development
Nick Brown — Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Des Browne — Secretary of State for Scotland
Chris Ruane — Secretary of State for Wales
David Miliband — Minister without Portfolio and Labour Party Chairman
John Reid — Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Government Chief Whip
Baroness Scotland - Attorney General

Changes
- Jack Straw is given the role of Deputy Prime Minister as well as Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Tessa Jowell moves from Transport and Women to Home Secretary and Women
- Peter Hain moves from Trade and Industry to Transport
- John Hutton moves from Wales to Trade and Industry
- Chris Ruane enters the Cabinet as Wales Secretary
- Alan Johnson moves from Party Chairman to Culture, Media and Sport
- David Miliband moves from Chief Secretary to Party Chairman and Election Co-Ordinator
- David Lammy enters the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Andrew Smith moves from Health to Education
- Alistair Darling moves from Education to Commons Leader
- Paul Boateng moves from Commons Leader to Health
- David Blunkett and Charles Clarke leave the Cabinet

March 11th 2005 - The Budget passes in the House of Commons, Labour makes reductions on taxes for the working classes, increases spending on health and education and then finally giving a pledge to abolish many QUANGO's

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Jack Straw announcing tax reductions for the working classes

March 12th 2005 - The Budget is seen as an election budget and a poll released shows Labour's support among the working classes booming.

March 20th 2005 - Michael Howard appoints David Cameron as the Conservative Party Election Co-Ordinator

March 27th 2005 - Lady Thatcher proposes a bill from the House of Lords to end all British involvement in Equatorial Guinea after Labour's failure to charge the British mercenaries present. The bill is backed by many former Conservative Minister's in the Lords along with the Liberal Democrats.

April 2nd 2005 - John Kerry announces that he will bring 5,000 troops home from Iraq by Christmas in light of elections being scheduled for July 2005 in Iraq.

April 6th 2005 - Mark Latham dissolves Parliament for a federal election to be held on May 2nd. He faces a strong challenge due to his unstable government from Coalition Leader Peter Costello who assumed control following John Howard's resignation in September 2004.

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Prime Minister Latham announcing the dissolution of Parliament

April 10th 2005 - Gordon Brown follows suit to President Kerry and pledges to bring 1,000 troops home before September and more than that before Christmas.

April 19th 2005 - Lady Thatcher's bill reaches the Commons where it is greeted by strong support from both Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy, some Cabinet Minister's also support it.

April 26th 2005 - Gordon Brown calls for a free vote on Thatcher's bill​
 
Very interesting stuff indeed, I do like the way the Brown Government is going so far, I'm sure that you're setting them up for a fall though, Livingstone was rather well treated, I'm sure that Ken will be back for revenge in some form.

I'm suprised that Kerry managed to get the Presidency, but given the fairly close result in OTL is if far from impossible.

Capital work!
 
Sorry to nitpick, but the Prime Minister doesn't have that power: if the Mayor of London resigns, then the relevant authorities in the GLA calls an election. Gordon Brown wouldn't be allowed to decide whether or not there was an election unless he passed legislation giving him that power before Ken resigned.
 
Well, for the sake of easiness I intended for the GLA to inform the Prime Minister as Leader of the relevant party to announce such a move in conjunction with Mayor Gavron. I will have it that such legislation is passed, the reason being is that I had the Equatorial Guinea storyline for when the election would have taken place. I was unsure of the whole procedure so I apologise for that
 
May 2005 to August 2005

May 2nd 2005 - Mark Latham looses the Australian federal election due to economic problems and his fragile coalition government, the Coalition is returned to power with Peter Costello as Prime Minister with a majority of twelve

May 4th 2005 - Three car bombs are detonated in London, at Hyde Park; Canary Wharf and Wembley. Gordon Brown and Jack Straw are attending the World Economic Forum in Laos, to this extent Home Secretary Tessa Jowell assumes command of COBRA and orders emergency services to rescue as many injured as possible. She makes a statement stating that she has ordered the security services to track down the perpetrators and that rescue operations are under way to save the injured in the attacks.

May 5th 2005 - A further attack takes place at Heathrow Airport where a van is driven into the entrance of Terminal 2 and detonated. In response, the Home Secretary shuts down all civilian air traffic.

May 7th 2005 - With the threat looming, the PM and Deputy PM are stranded in Laos, the Home Secretary makes a statement stating MI5 has tracked an Al-Qaeda cell and the police have apprehended them; she states that further arrests were being made by the police as she is speaking. At the end of the day, fifteen suspects are in custody.

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The Home Secretary at Downing Street during the crisis

May 9th 2005 - The Home Secretary announces that civilian air traffic will resume and that the crisis is over. She is widely praised for her swift handling of the crisis.

May 14th 2005 - President Kerry sends legislation for a public healthcare option to the House

May 21st 2005 - Former President Bush and Former Prime Minister Blair announce the setting up of the Clearwater Foundation, dedicated to charity work and campaign in the Middle East

May 29th 2005 - Gordon Brown says in a television interview that the election will be held in the Autumn and his government will focus on national security and the economy in the meantime

June 5th 2005 - An opinion poll published shows Labour has a nine point lead in the polls, showing they will win the next election with a reduced majority of 80.

June 14th 2005 - Evidence emerges that during the Blair administration, several terror suspects were covertly executed by special forces in Baghdad

June 16th 2005 - Under pressure, PM Brown announces a full inquiry in the Commons

June 20th 2005 - In a TV interview, Tony Blair defends his Iraq policy and expresses a strong policy to stopping terrorism. He praises the government, in particular Tessa Jowell for their actions in May.

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Blair during his interview

June 26th 2005 - President Kerry's healthcare bill passes the Democrat House but will run into trouble in the Republican Senate.

July 2nd 2005 - Kerry along with Treasury Secretary Rivlin announce plans to present a balanced budget to Congress

July 9th 2005 - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is reported to have suffered a heart attack, sources are sketchy due to the media blackout in the nation

July 14th 2005 - The inquiry into the Baghdad executions shows that the order was signed by an unknown official who's name was blanked out in documents. Some speculate that Blair himself signed it

July 17th 2005 - In the House, the Prime Minister ducks questions about the executions and says that he is bound by law not to reveal it under the Thirty Year Rule, uproar ensues causing Speaker Martin to suspend the House.

July 23rd 2005 - The government takes a knock in opinion polls, with a five point lead. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis demands an explanation during questions with Home Secretary Jowell, she uses the Thirty Year excuse

July 30th 2005 - Michael Howard makes a speech pledging to launch an inquiry into Iraq if elected, also saying that MP's were duped into voting for it by then Attorney General, now Lord Chancellor Goldsmith.

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Michael Howard during his Iraq speech

August 5th 2005 - Tony Blair publicly denies signing the order

August 8th 2005 - Defence Secretary Paul Murphy refers a question about the order to the then Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon in the Commons

August 10th 2005 - Brown apologises for the debacle and pledges a frank inquiry after the election, his poll lead is still on five

August 18th 2005 - President Kerry in a news conference pledges to end combat operations in Iraq by the end of 2006

August 26th 2005 - Former Prime Minister Ted Heath dies at age 89 in his home, he had been under medical supervision since July. His death follows that of former PM James Callaghan in March.

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Lord Callaghan, (27th March 1912 - 26th March 2005)

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Sir Edward Heath, (9th July 1916 - 26th August 2005)

 
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