WI: Thatcher assassination, 1990

What if, instead of her resigning as she does in OTL, what if she is killed by a small group of ultra-Militant left-wing trade unionists? A small band of say, four or five former miners, who set about to kill her and senior members of the government around the turn of the decade.

I could see the devastation of her assassination on the country, with the Government going into full breath and morning mode, flags at half-mast, state funeral, which would be less iffy given that she died as a serving prime minister. Also, it'd cause significant harm to the Labour movement, being seen as those who killed Thatcher, though obviously the Party would condemn the murder. Perhaps the butterflies could lead to a larger Tory majority in 1992, aided by a sympathy vote?
 
If such a thing happened, Labour would never get elected again. They'd be lucky if they weren't disbanded. Tories would likely be celebrating their 34th year in power now as they'd have no credible opposition.
 
Some people have a very odd view of the United Kingdom, nor do they understand the electoral politics of the UK around the 1990 period very well.

1) The assassins will be disavowed by the Labour Party, not even the most avowed Daily Hate reader will claim that Neil Kinnock would have a secret death squad*.

2) Kinnock is a moderate.

3) If there was a poll revival in sympathy, there might be a shroud-waving election, there again the Community Charge is still lurking in the wings.

4) No one is going to get shot for celebrating. Some people might get nicked for actions likely to cause a breach of the peace.

5) The LibDems aren't in a position to benefit from this in a putative alt-1991/2 election. We might scrape a couple more gains up but that would be about it.

* There again, looking at the Telegraph BTL commenters, maybe some would
 
I think there was a militant Irish group that came close to getting her in 1984 or so? That might be even more disconcerting...
 
I think there was a militant Irish group that came close to getting her in 1984 or so? That might be even more disconcerting...
"Militant Irish group", that's what we call the IRA nowadays?

Givent he level of violence that the IRA unleashed against the UK, if that wasn't enough to produce what you want I don't think anything else would.
 

Heavy

Banned
How about his scenario; Thatcher manages to secure her position for another year, but falls victim to the PIRA mortar attack that targeted Downing Street during the Gulf War?
 
"Militant Irish group", that's what we call the IRA nowadays?

Givent he level of violence that the IRA unleashed against the UK, if that wasn't enough to produce what you want I don't think anything else would.

I saw someone use the acronym PIRA and wanted to make sure it was not a different group than the IRA. More colorful descriptions might be warranted though why descend into filth when it is unnecessary?
 
I saw someone use the acronym PIRA and wanted to make sure it was not a different group than the IRA. More colorful descriptions might be warranted though why descend into filth when it is unnecessary?

By Maggies time, PIRA was the dominate IRA group, the multiple smaller IRA's came after that.
 
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