WI: Thorpe in Labour, Wilson a Liberal

shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Jeremy Thorpe was the late leader of the Liberal Party, taking over from Jo Grimond and leading for the best part of a decade. Entering Parliment in 1959, this rising star would be famous for his internationalism, as a champion of human rights, and an opponent to the apartheid and racism in general, as well as refusing to form a coalition with Ted Heath in '74, his legacy is largely overshadowed by the debunked accusation that he murdered his homosexual lover (and his lovers dog). His father was a conservative, and he was close to the Lloyd George Family. His Politcal career would begin in the Oxford University Liberal Club, and ended with his sudden departure from Public life following the diagnosis of Parkinson's. He died last December.

Harold Wilson, Pipe Smoker extraordinaire. Oxford prodigy and son of a Labour Chemist (who initially supported the Liberals), Wilson is largely and fondly remembered as Prime Minister of Britain (1963-1968/1974-1976), not being a Communist Spy, and for championing the Soft Left. Elected to Parliament in 1945 and immensity cutting his teeth with the surprise appointment to the Ministry of Works, his career would end with his resignation due to exhaustion and the onset of Alzheimer's disease, become a Baron and passing away in 1995.

Both men we're notable and imposing political figures at their time, both Oxford educated Career Politicians who remembered by the public both fondly and for their failings. My question is thus; what if Harold Wilson joined the Liberal Party, and what if Jeremy Thorpe joined Labour? Would either men rise to their lofty positions of Leadership of their new Parties that they inhabited IoTL, or would they have simply become footnotes?
 
The problem, you have from is that from the start, Jeremy Thorpe was the son and grandson of Conservative MPs.

While Wilson was known in the Labour Party as a left-winger and joined Aneurin Bevan and John Freeman, his ideology is conflicting with the Liberal Party, to change his ideology, would change him from a different personality.
 
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