WI Gordon Brown wins Labour leadership in '94?

Firstly, is this at all plausible? I was 2 you see, and don't remember it all that well :p
And secondly, how would this influence things? The Tory defeat in 1997 was probably all but inevitable by now, but would Labour have won such a massive landslide as they did with Blair in command?
 
If Blair stood aside, it is not only possible but probable.

Brown would still win by a majority of over one hundred, given the myriad of issues surrounding Major and his government made a large Labour majority IMO a certainty. Major was beyond incompetent and events were rolling against him in a constant stream for years on end from Arms to Iraq, the Hamiltons, various sexual scandals(in a Government he himself stated was one of traditional family values and marriage whilst the hypocrite had cheated on his own wife) and major divisions over Europe which make any divisions in the Government today seem minor.(I mean to say, Major even went into a Party Political during the election on TV asking his own MPs not to tie his hands over Europe!)

There would not be the Tony Blair, Rockstar appeal, but Brown would have the tide of events in his favour, and I given this, I believe he would have won in 2001/02 as well. How he fares over the war on terror is anyones guess though.

How he has done IOTL is down to events I believe. Most of the programme he was for has been implemented so he cannot class himself as a great radical Prime Minister. I view him as a Lloyd George-type figure in this sense(the achievements of L-G were mainly whilst he was Chancellor and Asquith was in 10.Downing Street). In TTL, he would be able to implement much of his platform. A jibe was made against Major that he was in office but not in power. IOTL, Brown was in power but not in office.

If your looking for a Tory victory in '97 or a quick return to office shortly after, may I suggest Blair and Brown standing against each other with Prescott sneaking in by default.
 
i'm with every one else Labour wins big in 1997 (not as big as OTL) Brown bumbles through to 2001/2 may or may not win again (i think he'd win) but by 2005 people are done with Brown and Labour strong Troy win, PM Michael Howard?
 
i'm with every one else Labour wins big in 1997 (not as big as OTL) Brown bumbles through to 2001/2 may or may not win again (i think he'd win) but by 2005 people are done with Brown and Labour strong Troy win, PM Michael Howard?

I actually think Labour would win in 2001/2 with a majority of between 50/100. Its a healthy majority but not a landslide and a lot of the earlier achievements by Labour (minimum wage/devolution etc.)would count in his favour. You would possibly avoid some of the Blairite excess which, over a period of time may be a good thing.

The reason it is difficult to predict past 2001 is the War on Terror. Would Britain go into Iraq? What would happen with Afghanistan? Depending on which way he turns, you could see radically different outcomes in 2005. Should he oppose Iraq, then he gains in popularity and probably wins in 2005/6, if he goes in, I think the Tories would win although that actually depends on who the Tory leader is however.

Pre-Cameron, the only Tory big-beast I was scared of as a Labour supporter was Ken Clarke. The Tories were mad not to give him the job in '97 IOTL, and then again in '01. He was their best hope. Thank god they were too obsessed by the EU to take it. Perhaps someone else emerges, I don't know.
 
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