- Location
- NYC (né Falkirk)
- Pronouns
- he/him
Inspired by absolutely nothing in particular in the news yesterday, how might the Social Democratic Party have enjoyed better success in the UK through the 1980s to the point where they might still have representation in the Commons to today?
Some random musings...
Some random musings...
- Woy the Boy joins the Liberals - if Roy Jenkins had joined the Liberals at some point before David Owen, Bill Rodgers, and Shirley Williams leave the Labour Party he would be unlikely to join any new venture they tried. Jenkins was the one most committed to wedding the new party to the Liberals, so without him we might see the SDP pursue a more independent strategy though some co-operation would obviously be needed. It would also give the SDP (and the Liberals for that matter) a less patrician figure such as Williams or Owen to lead them into the next General Election.
- Tony Benn becomes deputy leader of the Labour Party - a very close run election in 1981 gave Denis Healey the position of Deputy Leader of the Party after missing out on becoming Leader the year before. If Benn had been elected might this see further defections to the SDP? I'm inclined to think not, except perhaps George Robertson or one or two others, without some real general election success from the SDP or the Alliance I think they might have squeezed the Labour defections all they could.
- Different strategy in the 1983 General Election - what if the SDP had pushed for a greater effort to be made at retaining the seats won through defections and by-elections in 1983? The result might have been a lower vote share but more seats as their votes would be better concentrated?
- Better showing in the 1987 General Election - at several times in 1986 polls showed the electorate split almost equally three ways between the Conservatives, Labour, and the Alliance; but several public disagreements over defence and between the Two Davids over the course of action in the result of a hung Parliament saw the Alliance fall back in the polls. What if these disagreements could be made less public, possibly if Thatcher had resigned over Westland that and the resulting leadership election would give the press more to focus on. A better performance in 1987 might have avoided merger into the Social and Liberal Democrats in 1988, especially if the SDP were propping up a Tory government in a hung Parliament.
- Better performance in Bootle 1990 - Following on from a second place in the Richmond by-election in 1989, coming behind the Monster Raving Loony Party in Bootle in 1990 was such a blow that the continuing SDP of Owen, John Cartwright, and Rosie Barnes was wound up. If they had a better showing and the party was still active then perhaps the three could have held on to their seats in a 1991/2 General Election.