The Election that... Was

24th September 2007

BROWN CALLS SNAP ELECTION​

0406-OBROWN-election_full_600.jpg


Following his election as Labour Leader in June this year the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has today called a long awaited "snap" election. The recent boost in the polls for Labour had increased the likelihood of an early election, however the PM has said that the new election was to "give this new government a democratic mandate". David Cameron has welcomed the call for an election with the phrase "bring it on". He later said "The Conservative Party is ready and prepared to finally bring change to Britain". Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell has also expressed happiness with the new announcement by saying "this election will bring a new progressive future for Britain".

Following the announcement of the election the initial polls suggest a slim Labour Majority or a hung parliament. The current polls are:

Labour: 41%
Conservative: 35%
Liberal Democrats: 16%

The former Prime Minister has already announced his support for Gordon Brown calling him a "great PM in the making".
 
Last edited:
26th September 2007

PARTIES KICK OFF ELECTION CAMPAIGNS


rosette_1628747c.jpg

All three major parties in Britain have begun their election campaigns today. Former cabinet minister and spin doctor Peter Mandelson has led Labour's media campaign with the new phrase "New Labour - the only way". The Prime Minister Brown has also unveiled the new party manifesto using a "staying on course" throughout the document. Labour has cited their many successes in their last decade in government as well as reminding the British people of the Tories last disastrous years in government. David Cameron's campaign however has been one of "Change" with a new, liberal and youthful image for the party. The Lib Dems led by Ming Campbell have so real released their manifesto with the title "the real alternative". The manifesto is one strongly on the centre left, maybe even more so than Labour's with policies such as abolishing the House of Lords and a new millionaire tax.

So far Labour remain ahead in the polls with 39%, the Tories are in second with 36% and following Campbell's impressive performance on "Question Time" the Lib Dems have risen to 20%.
 
Last edited:
30th September 2007


Brown's Lead Begins to Drop​

gordon_brown.jpg

After weeks of a surprising lead in the polls Gordon Brown and the Labour Party are dropping in support. The Conservatives led by the young David Cameron has begun recovering in the polls as well as many disillusioned Labour voters turning to the increasingly centre-left Liberal Democrats. The current polls are Labour: 36%, Conservatives: 36% and the Liberal Democrats: 22%. The dip in the polls comes with the end of Brown's "honeymoon period" for the electorate and a return to more serious polling. David Cameron is currently running a very tight ship with his campaign, attempting to show a new image for his party by agreeing with certain government economic and social policies while presenting a party which has moved on from the 80s and 90s. Their more Liberal stance and campaign of "change" have attracted many young voters as well as the traditional shy Tories. Labour have been running a more or less successful campaign but Brown's sense of discomfort with the media and dour appearance have turned voters against him as out of touch. Meanwhile left leaning voters angry at New Labour are turning ever more towards the Lib Dems as a "real alternative" to the two main parties.


2nd October 2007

Lib Dems Rise in the Polls

ming-campbell_1572446c.jpg

The Lib Dems have seen an impressive rise in the polls in the last few days with their "Real Alternative" campaign. Many voters have become tired of New Labour but are yet to trust the Tories again in Government. As a result many have turned to the Liberal Democrats - led by Ming Campbell - for solace. Despite questions of his leader within the party over his age Campbell has performed exceptionally well in the election campaign. He has managed to portray himself as a "great statesman" of politics with experience and the credentials to be a real candidate for Prime Minister. Their centrist economic policies and centre left social and electoral policies have attracted many young and left wing voters particularly for their opposition to the Iraq War. The current polls stand at Conservative 37%, Labour 35% and the Liberal Democrats 23%. Current polls suggest a mix between a very very slim Labour majority or a hung parliament with the Tories as the largest party. But with two days left until polling, its still all to play for.

4th October 2007

ELECTION NIGHT: 2007

TVNR-2010-05-11-18h02m01s249.jpg

DAVID DIMBELBY: Good evening and welcome to election night 2007. After one of the shortest but most intense election campaigns this decade the results are coming in for what i'm sure will be a very exciting election. All three major parties are led by new leaders this election, Labour is led by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Conservatives are led by the young David Cameron and the Liberal Democrats are led by the veteran politician Ming Campbell. In just a few hours we will be providing the seat count and final projection on who will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. As counting begins throughout the country we can give you the current exit polls:

Conservative: 38%

Labour: 34%

Liberal Democrats: 23%
 
5th October 2007

ELECTION NIGHT: 2007​


DAVID DIMBELBY:
The time is now six o'clock and the final seats have been called. I can now announce that the election has produced a Hung Parliament, with no party able to hold a majority of seats, this is the first case of one since 1974 and my word what an odd position we are in. The seat counts are:

Conservative: 291

Labour: 280

Liberal Democrats: 51

The Conservatives are currently the largest party in Parliament for the first time since 1997. Gordon Brown has already conceded the election and will be duly resigning as Prime Minister this afternoon. He has said in his announcement that he does not think it right for him to form a coalition or minority without a mandate calling it "undemocratic". He has however vowed to continue as Leader of the Labour Party for the "foreseeable future".
 
Brown resigning without the help of dynamite strikes me as very unlikely, as does that seat count from those polling numbers. Remember the Tories need to do between 4-7% better than Labour to get the same number of seats thanks to the gerrymandered and biased constituencies with have.
 
Brown resigning without the help of dynamite strikes me as very unlikely, as does that seat count from those polling numbers. Remember the Tories need to do between 4-7% better than Labour to get the same number of seats thanks to the gerrymandered and biased constituencies with have.

Yeah, Brown won't resign at this point. With those seat tallies he has a chance of getting a stable coalition together.
 

AndyC

Donor
Brown resigning without the help of dynamite strikes me as very unlikely, as does that seat count from those polling numbers. Remember the Tories need to do between 4-7% better than Labour to get the same number of seats thanks to the gerrymandered and biased constituencies with have.

Hmm, not so sure on seat numbers. Marginals were swingier than most last time, and there is no fixed rule as to scores --> seats. If UNS gets within 40 of the right total, it's an impressive performance, so you can argue quite a distance away.

I'd imagine a lot of arguments between Labour and L/Ds before Brown's resignation, to be honest as well, but I understand that Tories ruling in a minority with similar seat numbers was Cameron's target prior to The Election That Wasn't (and he felt it was realistic)
 

AndyC

Donor
Hmm, not so sure on seat numbers. Marginals were swingier than most last time, and there is no fixed rule as to scores --> seats. If UNS gets within 40 of the right total, it's an impressive performance, so you can argue quite a distance away.

I'd imagine a lot of arguments between Labour and L/Ds before Brown's resignation, to be honest as well, but I understand that Tories ruling in a minority with similar seat numbers was Cameron's target prior to The Election That Wasn't (and he felt it was realistic)

NB UNS on todays standings gives 288, 286, 48 seats, so I'd call it realistic on today's boundaries. When did the boundaries change from last time?

EDIT - just checked - the old boundaries give similar numbers as well.
 
I'd imagine a lot of arguments between Labour and L/Ds before Brown's resignation, to be honest as well, but I understand that Tories ruling in a minority with similar seat numbers was Cameron's target prior to The Election That Wasn't (and he felt it was realistic)

With the objective of a 2008 election? Even with Labour and (possibly) the Liberals going through internal leadership battles, trying to get a budget through this Very Hung Parliament is going to be Hell.
 
Basically readers I have put Brown resigning because at the moment he does not feel the pressure to hang on to power like he did OTL because the economy is good. He is biding his time by waiting for a Tory minority government to fall apart within a year or so. That's the thinking atl.
 
Top