Brown bows to internal pressure and steps aside following the terrible local and Euro election results. David Miliband is seen as the natural choice and easily wins the leadership contest.
Labour would quite probably have remained in power imo.
1. Miliband is a telegenic fresh face
2. The Tories would have had little time to paint him
3. He doesn't have the economic baggage of Brown
4. Even with Brown ('the most unpopular PM in living memory', apparently), Labour managed more than 250 seats
5. Miliband would have been more friendly to the Lib Dems and they to him
270-280 seats for Labour in 2010 I think and a virtual tie with the Tories in seats. The Tories' main card would be the popular vote (they would likely still be 3-4% ahead) but that wouldn't be sufficient.
Labour would quite probably have remained in power imo.
1. Miliband is a telegenic fresh face
2. The Tories would have had little time to paint him
3. He doesn't have the economic baggage of Brown
4. Even with Brown ('the most unpopular PM in living memory', apparently), Labour managed more than 250 seats
5. Miliband would have been more friendly to the Lib Dems and they to him
270-280 seats for Labour in 2010 I think and a virtual tie with the Tories in seats. The Tories' main card would be the popular vote (they would likely still be 3-4% ahead) but that wouldn't be sufficient.