Category: U.K.

The year is 1950. Having dealt a surprise loss to Winston Churchill’s Tories following the Allied victory in World War 2, the Attlee government has set about implementing Labour’s vision of a cradle to grave welfare state at home, amidst decolonisation and the start of the Cold War abroad. Whilst they have met with a number of successes, notably the founding of the National Health Service, their five years in government have not been without economic hardship as the country has had to face post-war austerity. Meanwhile, the Tories have rebounded from their 1945 loss, and have now embraced much of the new consensus around a more active government, and the polls are remarkably tight between the two parties. Can Churchill reclaim the Premiership from Attlee, or will Labour be allowed their first ever second term?

 

United Kingdom – 1950

This pack includes five different What If? Scenarios from recent UK political history:

1.1978-The Election that never was

The last four years have been difficult for the Labour government. Following Harold Willson’s resignation, James Callaghan has succeeded to the Premiership, and has shortly had to face an economic crisis, culminating in taking a bailout from the IMF. However, the UK looks to have turned the corner, and with the polls too close to call, Callaghan has taken a gamble and called an early election in hopes of seeing off the challenge from Margaret Thatcher’s Tory party. Will it pay off?

United Kingdom – 1978

2. 1984- Falklands Lost

Following Margaret Thatcher’s win in 1979, British politics has undergone its biggest upheaval in half of a century. Faced first by economic hardship, then by the loss of the Falkland Islands to Argentina, the Iron Lady was forced to resign in 1982, and was replaced by the unity figure of William Whitelaw. Meanwhile, the newly formed SDP-Liberal Alliance has surged to a lead in the polls, and a radically left wing Labour, though divided and polling below both, looks well placed to form a government. Who will triumph in the first truly three party race for a generation?

United Kingdom – 1984

3. 1992-Thatcher Fights On

Margaret Thatcher has survived Michael Heseltine’s 1990 leadership challenge, but has been badly damaged in the eyes of the voters. Will she be able to turn things around to pull off a record breaking fourth term? Or will Neil Kinnock’s Labour finally oust her after thirteen years?

United Kingdom – 1992 Thatcher Fights On 

4. 1997-Smith Lives

John Smith never suffers the heart attack that kills him, and leads Labour into the 1997 General Election. The polls are projecting a comfortable Labour victory, but will John Major be able to turn Tory hopes and keep Labour out of power yet again?

United Kingdom – 1997-Smith Lives

5. 2015-The Right Brother?

Having narrowly defeated his younger brother in the 2010 leadership contest, David Miliband is now leading Labour into the 2015 general election. Though Labour has estabilished a slight lead in the polls, a hung parliament is still widely projected, amidst the rise of smaller, populist parties like UKIP, the Greens, and the SNP. Will Milliband be able to prevail over David Cameron?

UK 2015-The Right Brother

Let me know if there any issues that need sorting out with any of the scenarios.

I have done a few modifications to the percentages shift to make the official scenario closer to the real result (starting with only a small majority which the Conservatives can lose if they don’t campaign effectively.)

Changed are Corbyn’s charisma from 2 to 3 given his big rallies and I’ve added three new events.

1. Conservative social care plans unveiled – gives -2 momentum to the Conservatives

2. U-turn on the social care plans, gives -2 momentum to the Conservatives

3. Theresa May refuses to debate after Corbyn announces he will attend, gives -2 momentum to the Conservatives.

2017 – United Kingdom (adjusted polling)

Northern Ireland has a number of distinct political parties reflecting the nationalist and unionist sides of the political divide. The province sends 18 MPs to Westminster and now you have the chance to decide who.

I have added a few extra interviewers, another endorser (The News Letter) and corrected a couple of polling percentages with unknown names updated to those declared in the results. The scenario uses the default 2015 issues so may not be the most localised and ads have been limited to 4 per player due to there only being 18 seats but any feedback is welcome.

2015 – UK Parliament (Localised to Northern Ireland)

After seventeen years in power, the Tories finally appear to be on their way out of office. Having won an unexpected victory in the 1992 General Election, Prime Minister John Major has had a second term marked by economic difficulties and bitter party infighting. Meanwhile, Labour have recovered from their defeat five years ago, and the death of their leader, John Smith, in 1994, to establish a comfortable lead in the polls under the wildly popular Tony Blair, who has rebranded the party to the centre as ‘New Labour’. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, once more led by Paddy Ashdown, are hoping to benefit from the collapse of the Conservatives to win their best result in the post war era. Can the Tories prevent a historic Labour landslide, or will Blair deal them a defeat that will cripple their chances of winning power for a generation?

United Kingdom – 1997

After thirteen years in office, it looks like Conservative rule in the UK might finally be coming to an end. Having replaced Margaret Thatcher three years previously, the new Prime Minister, John Major, has had to face economic difficulties and divisions within his party as he attempts to keep the Tories in power. Is now the time for Neil Kinnock’s Labour to take back power after over a decade in the wilderness? Or will the Conservatives win an unlikely victory? And can either win an outright majority, so as not to be dependent on Paddy Ashdown’s Lib Dems?

United Kingdom – 1992

Having taken following the resignation of Harold Wilson in 1976, Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan has had a turbulent first three years in office that has been defined by economic crises and trade union disputes, culminating in ‘The Winter of Discontent’ where a series of strikes brought the country to a stand still. Against this backdrop, the Conservatives, led by staunch monetarist Margaret Thatcher, hope to sweep back to power on the most right wing platform for government in decades. Will Thatcher become the first female head of government in the western world, or will Labour stage an unexpected comeback to cling onto power?

United Kingdom – 1979

Eight years into her Premiership, Margaret Thatcher is still going strong. With a booming economy, she has called an election, hoping to emulate or even improve on her landslide of 1983. Meanwhile, the opposition to her is weak. Having endured a landslide defeat under Michael Foot, Labour are now led by the youthful figure of Neil Kinnock, who has begun the long process of reforming the party. Can he fend off a challenge from the SDP-Liberal Alliance and cement Labour’s place as the main opposition to the Tories, and possibly even challenge them for government?

United Kingdom – 1987

This is a sequel to my 1983 scenario which I figured I’d do since I already had the 1987 boundaries from that. I have made a few changes to it. The National Front are removed, and Ecology are replaced by the Greens. I have also replaced some of the alternative party leaders. Otherwise, it largely follows the same structure.