Lists of Heads of Government and Heads of State

[Makemakean]

A very stupid idea that came to me after a discussion with @Makemakean the other day.

List of Chancery Presidents of the Kingdom of Sweden (1920-present)

1920-1921: Artur Moen (Hat)
1921-1926: Lars Johan Blåfield (Cap)
1926: Artur Moen (Hat)
1926-1930: Lars Johan Blåfield (Cap)
1930-1935: Erik Gustaf Granlund (Hat)
1935-1949: Lars Johan Blåfield (Cap)
1949-1957: Lauri Laukkanen (Cap)
1957-1963: Johan Dybäck (Hat)
1963-1968: Gustaf Adolf "Pelle" Hammarskjöld (Cap)
1968-1979: Pietari Elias Kerttunen (Cap)
1979-1980: Bo Andersson (Hat)
1980-1984: Pietari Elias Kerttunen (Cap)
1984-1993: Magnus Storbakken (Hat)
1993: Aino-Marja Finlayson (Hat)
1993-2003: Juha Ristinen (Cap)
2003-2006: Per Martinsson (Cap)
2006-2015: Stefan Hallberg (Hat)
2015-present: Kasperi Kerttunen (Cap)

A Hammarskjöld as a Mike Pearson analogue is an inspired choice!

 

[Conster]

2024-2028: Lai Ching-te (DPP)

2024 def. Hou Yu-ih (KMT), Ko Wen-je (TPP)​

2028-2030: Cheng Wen-tsan (DPP) [1]
2030-2052: Ko Wen-je (TPP) †

2030 def. Chu Li-luan (KMT)​

2035 effectively unopposed​

2040 effectively unopposed​

2045 effectively unopposed​

2050 effectively unopposed​

2052-0000: Yang Jhih-yu (TPP)

[1] de jure; de facto under PLA Eastern Theater commander Wang Zhongcai

 

[ShortsBelfast]

United States Edition:

PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
1861-1865 - Abraham Lincoln (Republican)
1860 (with Hannibal Hamlin) def. John Breckinridge (Democratic), John Bell (Democratic), Stephen Douglas (Democratic)
1865-1873 - George McClellan (Democratic)
1864 (with Horatio Seymour) def. Abraham Lincoln (Republican)
1868 (with Horatio Seymour) def. Benjamin Wade (Republican)
1873-1875 - Ulysses Grant (Republican)
1872 (with James Garfield) def. Horatio Seymour (Democratic)
1875-1881 - James Garfield (Republican)
1876 (with James Blaine) def. John Palmer (Democratic)
1881-1885 - William Sherman (Republican)
1880 (with James Blaine) def. Grover Cleveland (Democratic), James Weaver (Popular Force)
1885-1889 - Thomas Bayard (Democratic)
1884 (with Allen Thurman) def. James Blaine (Republican), James Weaver (People's), Henry George (Social Labor)
1889-1894 - Henry George (Farmer-Labor)
1888 (with James Weaver) def. Thomas Bayard (Democratic), Mark Hanna (Republican)
1892 (with James Weaver) def. William McKinley (Anti-Radical)
1894-1897 - James Weaver (Farmer-Labor)
1897-1901 - Albert Beveridge (Conservative)
1896 (with Alton Parker) def. James Weaver (Farmer-Labor)
1901-1909 - Theodore Roosevelt (Farmer-Labor)
1900 (with William Jennings Bryan) def. Albert Beveridge (Conservative)
1904 (with William Jennings Bryan) def. William Taft (Conservative)
1909-1913 - William Jennings Bryan (Farmer-Labor)
1908 (with William Randolph Hearst) def. Thomas Marshall (Conservative)
1913-1921 - Nellie Tayloe Ross (National Unity)
1912 (with Thomas Marshall) def. William Jennings Bryan (Farmer-Labor), James Moyle (Conservative)
1916 (with Thomas Marshall) def. Frank Lowden (Conservative), Eugene Debs (Farmer-Labor)
1921-1927 - Leonard Wood (Farmer-Labor)
1920 (with Charles Evans Hughes) def. Thomas Marshall (National Unity), Nathan Miller (Conservative)
1924 (with Charles Evans Hughes) def. Nathan Miller (United Conservative)
1927-1929 - Charles Evans Hughes (Farmer-Labor)
1929-1933 - Royal Copeland (United Conservative)
1928 (with Herbert Hoover) def. Charles Evans Hughes (Farmer-Labor)
1933-1941 - Floyd Olson (Farmer-Labor then Social Democratic)
1932 (with William Borah) def. Royal Copeland (United Conservative)
1936 (with Frank Lloyd Wright) def. Arthur Vandenberg (United Conservative), William Borah (Farmer-Labor)
1941-1949 - Upton Sinclair (Social Democratic)
1940 (with Lyndon Johnson) def. Robert Taft (United Conservative), George Norris (Farmer-Labor)
1944 (with Lyndon Johnson) def. Robert Taft (Conservative), Henry Wallace (Farmer-Labor), Tom Dewey (National Unity)
1949-1953 - Lyndon Johnson (Social Democratic)
1948 (with Vito Marcantonio) def. Tom Dewey (One Nation), Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (Farmer-Labor)
1953-1961 - Margaret Chase Smith (National Unity)
1952 (with Richard Nixon) def. Lyndon Johnson (Social Democratic)
1956 (with Richard Nixon) def. Stuart Symington (Social Democratic)
1961-1964 - Walter Reuther (Social Democratic)
1960 (with Bayard Rustin) def. Richard Nixon (National Unity)
1964-1969 - Bayard Rustin (Social Democratic)
1964 (with Daniel Inouye) def. Barry Goldwater (Conservative), Nelson Rockefeller (National Unity)
1969-1977 - Daniel Inouye (Social Democratic)
1968 (with Hubert Humphrey) def. Richard Nixon (National Unity), John Ashbrook (Conservative)
1972 (with Hubert Humphrey) def. Robert Stanfield (National Unity), Barry Goldwater (Conservative)
1977-1978 - Hubert Humphrey (Social Democratic)
1976 (with Shirley Chisholm) def. Ronald Reagan (Conservative), Edward Levi (National Unity)
1978-1981 - Shirley Chisholm (Social Democratic)
1981-1989 - Millicent Fenwick (National Unity)
1980 (with Charles Percy) def. Shirley Chisholm (Social Democratic), Bob Dole (Conservative)
1984 (with Charles Percy) def. George McGovern (Social Democratic), Bob Michel (Conservative)
1989-1993 - Charles Percy (National Unity)
1988 (with William Cohen) def. Geraldine Ferraro (Social Democratic), Barbara Jordan (Liberal), Bob Dole (Conservative)
1993-1994 - Barbara Jordan (Liberal)
1992 (with Al Gore) def. Charles Percy (National Unity), Bob Dole (Conservative), Mike Gravel (Social Democratic)
1994-1997 - Al Gore (Liberal)
1997-2005 - Robert Reich (Social Democratic)
1996 (with Barbara Boxer) def. Al Gore (Liberal), John Boehner (United Conservative)
2000 (with Barbara Boxer) def. Jack Lew (Liberal), John Boehner (United Conservative)
2005-2009 - John McCain (United Conservative)
2004 (with John Boehner) def. Barbara Boxer (Social Democratic), Gray Davis (Liberal)
2009-2017 - Hillary Rodham (Liberal)
2008 (with Colin Powell) def. Bernie Sanders (Social Democratic), John McCain (United Conservative), Ron Paul (Patriot)
2012 (With Colin Powell) def. Mitt Romney (United Conservative), Barbara Lee (Social Democratic)
2017-2021 - Colin Powell (Liberal)
2016 (with Meg Whitman) def. Michael Flynn (United Conservative), Julian Castro (Social Democratic)
2021-2025 - John Kasich (National Unity)
2020 (with Carly Fiorina) def. Colin Powell (Liberal), Michael Flynn (Patriot), Dave Eby (Social Democratic)
2025-???? - Rachel Lindner (Social Democratic) [1]
2024 (with Robert Lee Ahn) def. John Kasich (National Unity), Michael Flynn (Patriot), Kevin Falcon (Liberal)

CURRENT CONGRESSIONAL CONTROL:

COUNCIL OF STATE:
Secretary of State - Activist Xiong Yan (2023-?)
Secretary of Defense - General David Goldfein (2019-?)
Secretary of the Treasury - President Robert Reich (2023-?)
Attorney General - Solicitor General Barack Obama (2019-?)

Secretary of State:
✓Xiong Yan (Social Democratic) - 49.83% / 66.94%
Hillary Rodham (Liberal) - 20.54% / 33.06%
Michael Steele (National Unity) - 20.11%
Mike Pompeo (Patriot) - 9.45%
Jackson Hinkle (Peace) - 0.07%

Secretary of Defense:
✓David Goldfein* (Liberal) - 96.06%
Patrick Donahoe (We Want War) - 3.28% [2]
Max Blumenthal (Peace) - 0.66%

Secretary of the Treasury:
✓Robert Reich (Social Democratic) - 41.05% / 57.35%
Spencer Cox (National Unity) - 27.11% / 42.65%
Janet Yellen (Liberal) - 21.37%
Donald Trump (Patriot) - 10.35%
David Sacks (Peace) - 0.11%

Attorney General:
✓Barack Obama* (Social Democratic) - 55.72%
Michael Pence (National Unity) - 24.39%
Elena Kagan (Liberal) - 12.78%
Michael Flynn (Patriot) - 7.11%

SENATE:
37 Social Democratic (Left/Center-Left)
15 National Unity (Center/Center-Right)
12 Liberal (Center-Left/Center)
6 Patriot (Right/Far-Right)

HOUSE:
225 Social Democratic (Left/Center-Left)
141 National Unity (Center/Center-Right)
115 Liberal (Center-Left/Center)
19 Patriot (Right/Far-Right)
1 Peace (Far-Left) [3]

[1] OC created just so I could have a subject of ire in Jeff Sessions' speech. Leftist, Non-Christian, LGBT, Young, Woman.
[2] Meme candidacy created for the sole purpose of outpolling Peace for SecDef
[3] Only happened because of normal left divisions that led to a Patriot v. Peace runoff

John Sherman rather than William as a President surely? William T Sherman detested politics and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to be acting Secretary of War under U.S. Grant for a couple of months OTL. He was definitely in the "if nominated I will not run and if elected I will not serve" category.

 

[rosa]

He was definitely in the "if nominated I will not run and if elected I will not serve" category.

Hell, he literally founded that category

 

[theflyingmgoose]

John Sherman rather than William as a President surely? William T Sherman detested politics and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to be acting Secretary of War under U.S. Grant for a couple of months OTL. He was definitely in the "if nominated I will not run and if elected I will not serve" category.

Hell, he literally founded that category

1. America is more revanchist, so Sherman is selected by the convention. The 1864 peace treaty with the Confederacy is also coming up, and people want a strong, unionist figure in the White House
2. Yeah, he doesn't want the office. That's why he serves only one term and probably why Bayard wins in 1884.

 

[Warthog]

even more depentent on fosil fuels and nations like Albania,South Africa,Argentina or China became isolated,impoverished states,prone to coups and civil wars in the years to come.

Fascinating premise and outcome. Enjoyed it.
Small quibble: two of those countries are coal powers so might come through better?

 

[Yokai Man]

Fascinating premise and outcome. Enjoyed it.
Small quibble: two of those countries are coal powers so might come through better?

Well yes but ya know,political instability and whatnot happen.

 

[theflyingmgoose]

1969 - 1973 - Hubert Humphrey / Ralph Yarborough (Democratic)
1973 - 1981 - William Westmoreland / Bob Packwood (Republican)
1981 - 1983 - Barbara Jordan / Henry Jackson (Democratic)
1983 - 1989 - Henry Jackson / VACANT then Herb Kohl (Democratic)
1989 - 1994 - Bob Packwood / Dan Crane then VACANT then Jack Kemp (Republican)
1994 - 1997 - Jack Kemp / VACANT then Bill Clements (Republican)
1997 - 2001 - Ray Mabus / Russ Feingold (Democratic)
2001 - 2009 - Clint Eastwood / Bob Dole (Republican)
2009 - 2013 - Bob Dole / Jim DeMint (Republican)
2013 - 2021 - Charlie Crist / Harold Ford Jr. (Democratic)
2021 - Incumbent - Rick Perry / Lindsey Graham (Republican)

Spoiler: Parallels

Westmoreland = Eisenhower (Generally non-partisan conservative General from the last war who serves two terms)
Packwood = Nixon (VP under the General who narrowly loses only to come back eight years later before being forced out of office for crimes)
Jordan = Kennedy ("First" President who is more moderate than remembered and seen quite positively/popular despite their accomplishments being outdone by their successor due to the fact that they were assassinated)
Jackson = LBJ (Former VP who wins an election in a landslide after a year on the job and uses that mandate to push for (and pass) sweeping left-wing reforms, but is hated by the left for starting an unwinnable war)
Kohl = Humphrey (Senator from the midwest who is not politically unique)
Crane = Agnew (Corrupt asshole who is forced out as VP after just starting a second term)
Kemp = Ford (Lifelong House backbencher thrust into the Vice Presidency and then the Presidency in short order)
Clements = Rockefeller (Somewhat moderate, elderly Governor)
Mabus = Carter (Southern Governor who doesn't do much and is largely unpopular)
Feingold = Mondale (Midwest Senator VP from the same state as the last Democratic VP)
Eastwood = Reagan (Conservative and charismatic actor from California)
Dole = H.W. Bush (NatSec guy and longtime GOP apparatchik who rides his predecessors' coattails to one term in the White House)
DeMint = Quayle (Young batshit right wing extremist Senator)
Crist = Clinton (Moderate Governor who serves two terms)
Ford = Gore (Moderate Southern Senator who narrowly loses the election after serving two terms as VP)
Perry = Bush (Illiterate Texas Governor)
Graham = Cheney (Hawk that wants to invade the Middle East)

 

[Bolt451]

1969 - 1973 - Hubert Humphrey / Ralph Yarborough (Democratic)
1973 - 1981 - William Westmoreland / Bob Packwood (Republican)
1981 - 1983 - Barbara Jordan / Henry Jackson (Democratic)
1983 - 1989 - Henry Jackson / VACANT then Herb Kohl (Democratic)
1989 - 1994 - Bob Packwood / Dan Crane then VACANT then Jack Kemp (Republican)
1994 - 1997 - Jack Kemp / VACANT then Bill Clements (Republican)
1997 - 2001 - Ray Mabus / Russ Feingold (Democratic)
2001 - 2009 - Clint Eastwood / Bob Dole (Republican)
2009 - 2013 - Bob Dole / Jim DeMint (Republican)
2013 - 2021 - Charlie Crist / Harold Ford Jr. (Democratic)
2021 - Incumbent - Rick Perry / Lindsey Graham (Republican)

Spoiler: Parallels

Westmoreland = Eisenhower (Generally non-partisan conservative General from the last war who serves two terms)
Packwood = Nixon (VP under the General who narrowly loses only to come back eight years later before being forced out of office for crimes)
Jordan = Kennedy ("First" President who is more moderate than remembered and seen quite positively/popular despite their accomplishments being outdone by their successor due to the fact that they were assassinated)
Jackson = LBJ (Former VP who wins an election in a landslide after a year on the job and uses that mandate to push for (and pass) sweeping left-wing reforms, but is hated by the left for starting an unwinnable war)
Kohl = Humphrey (Senator from the midwest who is not politically unique)
Crane = Agnew (Corrupt asshole who is forced out as VP after just starting a second term)
Kemp = Ford (Lifelong House backbencher thrust into the Vice Presidency and then the Presidency in short order)
Clements = Rockefeller (Somewhat moderate, elderly Governor)
Mabus = Carter (Southern Governor who doesn't do much and is largely unpopular)
Feingold = Mondale (Midwest Senator VP from the same state as the last Democratic VP)
Eastwood = Reagan (Conservative and charismatic actor from California)
Dole = H.W. Bush (NatSec guy and longtime GOP apparatchik who rides his predecessors' coattails to one term in the White House)
DeMint = Quayle (Young batshit right wing extremist Senator)
Crist = Clinton (Moderate Governor who serves two terms)
Ford = Gore (Moderate Southern Senator who narrowly loses the election after serving two terms as VP)
Perry = Bush (Illiterate Texas Governor)
Graham = Cheney (Hawk that wants to invade the Middle East)

If you were to carry on, who is around at the moment who could potentially be your Obama in 2029?

 

[Bolt451]

Playing with Atoms

List of countries that obtained nuclear arsenals/capabilities:

1) United States of America-1945

2) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics-1949

3) Commonwealth of Canada-1950

4) Republic of Argentina-1951

5) United Kingdom of Great Britain-1951

6) Republic of Brazil-1953

7) Republic of France-1954

8) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia-1954

9) Swiss Confederation-1955

10) Arab Republic of Egypt-1956

11) Kingdom of Belgium-1960

12) Republic of South Africa-1960

13) People's Republic of China-1961

14) Republic of India-1961


The Nuclear Craze did not start with Oppenheimer,Hiroshima or Saharov. It started with MacKenzie King,the mad God of Canadian politics. At the supposed advice of spirits,King ordered the creation of a Canadian nuclear arms program,so that Canada may be more secure against all threats and keep up with the modern world (and also stop the damn Yankies and Soviets from destroying the Commonwealth,as King now believed after said "spirtual cross dimensional dialogue" as spirit seeing is sometimes branded nowadays). He put mass resourses and time into it,with only a select few trusted Cabinet and military figures knowing of it-not even the Americans knew about it.

It was deliberate,King had become even more and more paranoic than usual,especially after the Gouzenko Affair. King believed none of Canada's allies were trust worthy after that,seeing more and more conspiracies by the minute. By the time the bomb was finally ready and tested near Eureka,the whole Liberal Party wanted him out. He had became too difficult,too hard to work,too willing to destroy his legacy. The outrage from the Yanks just made things easier.

Still,it wasn't hard to adjust to the idea of Canada having nukes-Truman was mostly angry because King kept everyone in the dark. Worse was yet to come.

To the surprise of everyone,it came from Argentina. Somehow,despite defying almost every law of science and logic and Ronald Richter being a third rate aircraft designer and con man,his fantasist theories not only became reality,but led to Argentina obtaining a nuclear arsenal. In the frenzy of the celebration,Perón and his ministers had forgotten all their moderation,all their hard work to sit on both sides and instead fell down on their arse,chanting among others with the crowd “Ni yanquis ni marxistas ¡Peronistas!” and proclaiming that Argentina shall never again obey anyone but herself. The aftermath was too big to describe it in a few words or even sentences. A Labour-Liberal Coalition in Britain after another hang parliament,failed coups brutally put down by Perón,international sanctions,shootouts between the CIA,NKVD and UDBA (long story,it was one of many dumbs moments of the Cold War that happened by accident),the “accidental” death of Herr Richter and other “German expats”-all can be traced back to 14th February 1951.

But the most important consequence was the brief normalization of nuclear proliferation. Because of Argentina,Brazil had to obtain nuclear weapons as well to protect itself and its neighbors (but mostly itself) and no one objected. Because of Brazil,France also felt it should obtain nukes quicker and no one objected. Because of Ustase influence in Argentina and Soviet imperialism,Tito entered the arms race and everyone still thought it was a normal thing. The Swiss simply didn’t care what the world thought,if they wanted nukes then by God they got them and that was that. It seemed like the world would just get used to this and its leaders be forced to accept it as normal.

Then the Egyptian Crisis happened.

Out of damned foolishness Colonel Nasser,wanting to show a stronger hand in making his dream of an United Arab Republic and later nationalizing the Suez Canal,hired certain German “advisors” that had “willingly” left Argentina and heavily funded a nuclear weapons program. On 27 July 1956,Egypt detonated its first nuclear bomb and Nasser held a massive rally in Cairo,almost identical to the one Perón held a couple of years back. Drunken by nationalist retoric,Nasser thought his grandiose plans for his vision of the Arab world would come reality. No one would dare fight he who mastered the power of the atom.

He was deadly wrong.

Everyone was outraged by these actions-especially the Soviets,who were kept in the dark about this and now feared,along with the rest of the world,that a new rouge state had come in being. The British,the French and the Israeli were more frighteted than delighted-sure,they now had a good reason to invade Egypt,but they did not expect Nasser to do such an act of wanton defiance. Nor of him to make all their fears come true. Anthony Eden now viewed himself as being on a mission,to stop another tyrant like others have failed with Perón. In an act that would serve as the beginning of a curious collaboration between the West and Moscow,he and Khrushchev agreed that the British-Franco-Israeli invasion force would be backed in the UN by the Soviets and,along with President Nixon,approve the removal of Nasser and his regime and getting rid of all weapons of mass distruction. Sure,this meant throwing Hungary under the bus but Eden reluctantly viewed as a necessary price in exchange for eliminating a threat to world peace. It did not mattered that Egypt was thrown into war and chaos for decades to come or that the Suez Canal was blown by Nasser in his last orders-the needs of the many outweighted the needs of the few in the minds of people back then.

But the Atomic Craze was not over. Many more nations desired the power of the atom,either to protect themselves or to conquer their enemies. The Belgians wanted to reafirm themselves as a worthy power. The South Africans and the Chinese Communists wanted to become independent from the world and no longer be hold back by the rules of the world. The Indians wanted protection from their neighboors,who they viewed as an eteral threat to their survival as a nation. The power of the atom now belonged to everyone.

And the world powers feared that. They hated that. Something had to be done.

By 21 September 1961,Prime Minister Eden,President Humphrey and Secretary General Kirichenko had come to a common solution. The Stockholm Treaty,signed (in many cases forcibly) by 150 nations,meant that no more nuclear reactors or nuclear weapons testing shall be built or done by those who signed after 1 January 1962. Anyone who did not sign the Treaty became labeled as a rouge state and thus sanctioned heavily by the international community. Some nations like West Germany even included this in the Constitution to show their commitment to creating a safer world for the future generations (and the Iron Curtain nations but they did it because Moscow forced them and threatened military action). In some ways,this was viewed,as if not the end or even the beginning of the end of the Cold War,then at least the end of the beginning. The fall of fascism in Spain in fact can be tied to this,as Franco fell from power in 1963 due to sanctions and democracy slowly returned in the penisula.

But it was one of the few benefits of this new consensus. In their desire to create a less dangerous world for their people,the leaders of the world had enleashed a world where they became even more depentent on fosil fuels and nations like Albania,South Africa,Argentina or China became isolated,impoverished states,prone to coups and civil wars in the years to come. Today,the unstopable growth of global warming can linked as a direct consequence of the Stockholm Treaty. Florida,London,Venice,Malvines,Sri Lanka,Netherlands,Belgium,Denmark-all gone,swept by the waters. By misusing the power of the atom and locking it afterwards in fear,Humphrey,Eden and Kirilenko had merely doomed the world to a slower,crueler death.

If only they learned....

This is really good. Not seen something like this done before

 

[Ares96]

Bob Packwood / Dan Crane

That's a hell of a ticket. Then again, Nixon/Agnew was also kind of insane in hindsight.

 

[Torten]

Shuffling the Deck - US Presidential edition​

1953-1961 Dwight Eisenhower/Richard Nixon
1961-1965 Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
1965-1973 Lyndon B Johnson/Robert McNamara
1973-1977 Ronald Reagan/Howard Baker
1977-1978 John F Kennedy/Adlai Stevenson III
1978-1979 John F Kennedy/vacant (1)
1979-1981 Gerald Ford/vacant (2)
1981-1989 Joe Biden /Jimmy Carter
1989-1997 Jimmy Carter/Dianne Feinstein
1997-2005 George HW Bush/John McCain
2005-2007 Bill Clinton/Jesse Jackson Jr.
2007 Bill Clinton/vacant (3)
2007-2009 Bill Clinton/Bob Graham
2009-2013 Donald Trump/Joe Lieberman (4)
2013-2017 Barack Obama/Chris Dodd
2017-2021 George W Bush/Chris Dodd (5)
2021-202? Barack Obama/Tammy Baldwin

1) VP Assassinated by southern extremist
2) President Kennedy died from underlying Addisons disease, Speaker of the House Gerald Ford assumed office
3) Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned following vote to impeach by House of Representatives following allegations of fraud
4) American Party/Independent run
5) Election went to House and Senate due to 3rd party run by Sarah Palin, Democrat senate selected VP Dodd, House selected Senator Bush in contingent election

 

[theflyingmgoose]

If you were to carry on, who is around at the moment who could potentially be your Obama in 2029?

Ritchie Torres

 

[Time Enough]

Working on an idea inspired by @Oppo and stuff @Meppo has done;

2008 - 2012: Viktor Zubkov (United Russia)
2008 def. Gennady Zyuganov (Communist), Vladimir Zhirinovsky (Liberal Democratic)
2008: Hillary Clinton is elected President. American Policy is more assertive in the Middle East.
2008 - 2009: Conflict between forces loyal to Kadyrov and forces loyal to the Yamadayev brothers leads to the assassination of Ramzan Kadyrov. Ruslan Yamadayev eventually emerges as the leading Candidate for President of Chechen Republic.
2010: Yulia Tymoshenko narrowly beats Viktor Yanukovych in the Ukrainian Presidential election, Viktor Zubov accuses Ukrainian Authorities of Electoral Fraud.
2011 - 2012: Arab Spring events lead to collapse of oil price around the globe, Russia see’s shock on the stock market as recession hits.
2011: Protests against supposedly rigged Parliamentary elections, leads to harsh countermeasures. The killing of several opposition activists nearly leads to riots, only quelled by half hearted reforms and a decrease in voter tampering.
2012 - 2016: Vladimir Putin (United Russia)
2012 def. Gennady Zyuganov (Communist); Garry Kasparov (United Opposition - Other Russia, Yabloko, People’s Freedom), Vladimir Zhirinovsky (Liberal Democratic)
2012: Putin narrowly elected amidst discontent towards United Russia Party, candidates supported by United Opposition like Yevgeniya Chirikova win local elections.
2013: Attempted crackdown on opposition forces and attempts to institute Anti-LGBT+ laws before the Sochi Winter lead to worldwide backlash. Russian stock market suffers another crash.
2014: Yulia Tymoshenko wins a second term over Party of Regions candidate Serhiy Tihipko, Pro-Russian separatist forces accuse Ukrainian authorities of electoral fraud and engage in clashes. Attempted Russian intervention goes poorly and President Huckabee supplies arms to Ukrainian forces. Putin’s popularity dips as Russian Economy suffers sanctions. Russian Gubernatorial Elections see opposition figures like Boris Nemtsov and Oksana Dmitriyeva elected to office.
2016 - 2020: Boris Nemtsov (People’s Freedom - Yabloko)
2016 def. Vladimir Putin (United Russia); Sergey Levchenko (Communist), Vladimir Zhirinovsky (Liberal Democratic)
2016: Nemtsov wins Presidential Elections with sizeable support including funding from opposition oligarchs and other groups, snap elections are called in the Autumn that allow a Pro-Democracy Majority to emerge in Duma. Pursues Anti-Corruption policies and Reforms of Democratic systems of Russia, gains a loan from the IMF with support of Chief Economist Gordon Brown.
2018: Disagreements with the Social Democratic faction of Yabloko over Nemtsov’s Neoliberal policies and Austerity Budget leads to a split in the Government Majority. Several Socialist and Communist Candidates win Governorship elections amidst Anti-Establishment opposition.
2020 - 2023: Vyacheslav Volodin (United Russia)
2020 def. Boris Nemtsov (People’s Freedom - Yabloko); Alexey Etmanov (Greens & Social Democrats - Left Front), Anatoly Lokot (Communist)
2020: Volodin narrowly wins Presidential election following a tight second round. Presidential Majority slim and reliant on Liberal Democratic and Motherland support within the Duma.
2023: Invasion of Georgia occurs due to tensions with the Vashadze Government but enters stalemate rapidly. Strikes and Protests over Inflation, Sluggish Growth, Political Oppression in wake of Georgian Invasion leads to Volodin being forced out of office.
2023 - : Igor Shuvalov (United Russia)

2009 - 2013: Hillary Clinton (Democratic)
2008 (With Tom Vilsack) def. John McCain (Republican)
2013 - 2021: Mike Huckabee (Republican)
2012 (With Tim Pawlenty) def. Hillary Clinton (Democratic)
2016 (With Tim Pawlenty) def. Brian Schweitzer (Democratic), Gary Johnson (Libertarian)
2021 - : Ben Jealous (Democratic)
2020 (With Dan Kildee) def. Scott Walker (Republican)

 

[morbidteaparty]

Breve storia dell'unificazione

Presidents of the United Provinces of Northern Italy

1849-1856 Charles Albert, King of Piedmont-Sardinia

1856-1859 Victor Emmanuel II, King of Piedmont-Sardinia

Presidents of the United Provinces of Italy

1859 - 1860, Victor Emmanuel II, King of Piedmont-Sardinia

Monarchs of the Kingdom of Italy

1860 - 1888, Victor Emmanuel I, King of Italy

1888 - 1919 Charles I, King of Italy

1919 - 1930 Charles II, King of Italy

1930 - 1936, Victor Emmanuel II, King of Italy

1936 - Mary I, Queen of Italy

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

United Provinces of Northern Italy

1849 - 1853, Massimo D'Azeglio, 1849 - 1853, Constitutional Party

1853 - 1854, Luigi Farini, Constitutional Party

1854 - 1859, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Constitutional Party

United Provinces of Italy

1859 - 1860, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Constitutional Party

Kingdom of Italy

1860 - 1863, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Constitutional Party (died in office)

1863 - 1866, Marco Minghetti, Constitutional Party

1866 - 1867, Count Menabrea, Constitutional Party

1867 - 1868, Urbano Rattazi, Liberal Party

1868 - 1870, Agostino Bertani, Liberal Party

1870 - 1876, Ubaldino Peruzzi, Constitutional Party

1876 - 1887, Agostino Depretis, Liberal Party (died in office)

1887 - 1889, Benedetto Cairoli, Liberal Party

1889 - 1891, 1893 - 1898 Giuseppe Zanardelli, Liberal Party

1898 - 1901, 1909 - 1919 Giovanni Giolitti, Liberal Party

1901 - 1909, Alessandro Fortis, Liberal Party

1919 - 1921, 1931 - 1942 Luigi Sturzo, Catholic Party

1921 - 1924, Francesco Nitti, Radical Party

1924 - 1929, Tito Nobili, Socialist Party

1929 - 1931, Giacomo Matteotti, Socialist Party

1942 - Ivanoe Bonomi, Socialist Party

 

[ZeroFrame]

Taoiseach of Ireland:

1923-1931: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblachta)
1923 Def: W.T Cosgrove (Poblachtanach) P.T Daly (Parti an Lucht Oibre) Denis Gorey (Farmers)
1927 Def: W.T Cosgrove (Poblachtanach) P.T Daly (Parti an Lucht Oibre) Denis Gorey (Farmers)
1931-1934: Eoin O'Duffy (Poblachtánach)
1931 Def: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblatcha) James McCarron (Parti an Lucht Oibre) Denis Gorey (Farmers)
1934-1940: James McCarron (Parti an Lucht Oibre)
1934 Def: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblachta) Eoin O'Duffy (Poblachtanach) Michael Hefferman (Farmers) James Dillion (Ionad)
1938 Def: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblachta) Patrick Belton (Poblachtanach) Michael Hefferman (Farmers) James Dillion (Ionad)
1940-1948: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblachta-Tosaigh Coitianta)
1940 Def: Patrick Belton (Poblachtanach) James McCarron (Páirtí an Lucht Oibre-Tosaich Coitianta) James Dillion (Ionad-Tosaigh Coitianta) Michael Hefferman (Farmers-Tosaigh Coitianta)
1948-1951: James Dillion (Ionad)
1948 Def: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblachta) James McCarron (Parti an Lucht Oibre) William O'Brien (Daonlathach Sóisialta) Liam de Roiste (Poblachtánach) Michael Hefferman (Farmers) Noel Browne (Radaiceach)
1951-1955: Alfie Byrne (Independent)
1951 Def: Michael Collins (Clann na Poblatchta) James Dillion (Ionad) James Larkin Jnr (Parti an Lucht Oibre) William O'Brien (Daonlathach Sóisialta) Michael Hefferman (Farmers) Noel Browne (Radaiceach)
1955-1958: Michael Collins (Meirge Glas)
1955 Def: James Dillion (Teach na nGael) James Larkin Jnr (Parti an Lucht Oibre) Noel Browne (Radaiceach)
1958-1963: Sean MacBride (Meirge Glas)
1959 Def: James Dillion (Teach na nGael) James Larkin Jnr (Parti an Lucht Oibre)
1963- : Oliver J. Flanagan (Teach na nGael)
1963: Sean MacBride (Meirge Glas) Brendan Corish (Parti an Lucht Oibre)

Michael Collins died this morning on April 19th, 1965.

Ever since the Irish War of Independence, Collins has dominated Irish politics even in retirement. First the Provisional President and then the first Taoiseach and the only one for eight years.

Losing power in 1931 to the Republican Party's Eoin O'Duffy who represented a reactionary response to his secular and social democratic policies.

Ireland's experiment without "Collinism" lasted a mere three years before Duffy was ousted. Despite Labor leading the government, Collins's Clann na Poblachta still held the balance of power. Preventing the communist James Larkin from a government position and forcing McCarron to moderate. Protecting free trade and ensuring a neutral foreign policy.

To the rest of the world, Collins was a hero. To the subjects of the British Empire, he was a hero who stood up for the freedom of his people. In the United States, him and McCarron became the face of competent governance and to Europe he was one of the first to condemn Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. Refusing to send condolences to Mussolini's family after his assassination.

Collins in 1940 once again became Taoiseach on a platform of opposing the Himmler regime. Joining the Grand Concord. Overseeing the war effort Ireland’s forces helped to oust Himmler in 1944. In the aftermath of the Second Great War Collins was an advocate for the Bonn Trials that saw hundreds of war criminals brought to justice.

In the aftermath of the SGW Collins dedicated himself to opposing what he saw as the four great evils of German Nationalism, colonialism, communism, and fascism. Supporting the breakup of Germany between Bavaria, Westphalia, the Pan-Germanic Workers Republic, and the Republic of New Judaea.

Furthermore, Collins condemned the Balbo regime in Italy and Tukhachevsky's threats of war with China. Calling both regimes "two sides of the same coin." Allying with Pope Gregory XVII in condemning authoritarianism of all kinds.

Despite losing power in 1948 (in large part due to his autocratic tendencies following the SGW), Collins continued to be a voice for the oppressed. He ruthlessly attacked antisemitism as "Satan's Ideology" and met with President Albert Einstein of New Judaea in 1949. When it came to colonialism Collins lent his support to the Indian Independence Movement and criticized Prime Minister A.V Alexander for attacking anti-imperialism as "communism."

As the 40s turned into the 50s new challenges emerged. Tukhachevsky was dead and Ethiopia began its long fight for independence. In 1951, Dillion's government collapsed and 1951 gave a hung parliament. Allowing Alfie Byrne to form a technical government. Collins was made Foreign Minister, a position he used to lend support to Ethiopia in their anti-colonial struggle. He also met with Prime Minister Lewis Clive to secure civil rights for the Irish minority in Ulster.

At the same time Collins worked to unite the social democratic left against both Dillion's center-right and James Larkin Jnr's left. Merging the Social Democrats, Farmers Party, and Clann na Poblachta to form the Green Banner in 1954. Come 1955 Collins was once again Taoiseach.

During his final term he cemented his legacy as the titan of the global center-left. Healthcare and dockyards were nationalized. School lunches were made free, and Ireland's economy boomed. He met with Chinese President Soong Ching-ling to condemn Japanese aggression in the South China Sea and met with Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou to condemn fascism.

Come 1958, the aging Collins knew his time was up. He had secured his people's independence, he had rebuilt Ireland's economy and fought fascism. What else was there to do? He wasn't going to be around forever and he knew if he didn't find a successor his legacy would perish with him. To the shock of Ireland, Collins retired on July 12th, 1958. Resigning in favor of Defense Minister Sean MacBride.

Despite a return being tempting, Collins would stay retired to his home in Cork. Commenting on current affairs he condemned Rhodesian apartheid and the Rome Axis's colonialism.

Dying peacefully in sleep, Collins's family has already received condolences from Pope Gregory XVII, UK Prime Minister Euan Wallace, United States President J. Robert Oppenheimer, Speaker of the House John Lewis, Chinse President Pandatsang Rapga, New Judaea Prime Minister Rachel Cohen-Kagan, Spanish President Salvador de Madariaga, and Canadian Prime Minister M.J Coldwell.

 

[Turquoise Blue]

The People's... Bobby?

Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (Liberal majority) 1880-1890
1880: def. Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (Conservative), William Shaw (Home Rule)
1885: def. Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative [inc. Conservative-Labour]), Charles Stewart Parnell (Irish Parliamentary)
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative majority [inc. Conservative-Labour]) 1890-1902
1890: def. Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (Liberal), Charles Stewart Parnell (Irish Parliamentary)
1895: def. William Harcourt (Liberal), Charles Stewart Parnell (Irish Parliamentary)
1899 - Abolition of House of Lords, Salisbury continues to govern without a seat in Parliament
1900: def. Joseph Chamberlain ('Radical' Liberal), Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne ('National' Liberal), split Irish Nationalists
A. J. Balfour (Conservative majority [inc. Conservative-Labour]) 1902-1906
Alfred Milner (Liberal majority) 1906-
1906: def. A. J. Balfour (Conservative [inc. Conservative-Labour]), John Redmond (Irish Parliamentary), Robert Blatchford (Socialist)

Okay, for a bit of context for the list, here's two extracts from Lord Salisbury's World by Michael Bentley that I tried to force into a quickie list.

"He liked to see what he called 'Conservative Labour candidates' standing for the party in constituencies that they had some chance of winning; but he had no strategy for finding the money that such people would need in order to contest a seat"

"He meant, as he often did, what he said; but he also thought instrumentally about the House of Lords as about everything else. Had he believed that he could gain his objectives by changing his mind, emotion and tradition would not have deterred him, which is why there remains just a glimmer of plausibility in Lord Kimberley's exasperated remark that Salisbury might propose abolishing the House of Lords altogether if he thought he could trump the Liberals by doing so."

This isn't a plausible list, I just wanted to highlight those two aspects a bit.

 

[Time Enough]

Premier of the West Indies Federation:
1958 - 1963: Ashford Sinanan (Democratic)
1958 (Majority) def. Grantley Adams (Federalist), Florence Daysh (National)
1963 - 1969: Florizel Glasspole (Federalist)
1963 (Majority) def. Ashford Sinanan (Democratic), Florence Daysh (National)
1968 (Majority) def. Ebenezer Joshua (Democratic), Ernest Mottley (National), Richard Hart (Socialist)
1969 - 1973: Errol Barrow (Federalist Majority)
1973 - 1978: Hugh Shearer (Democratic)
1973 (Majority) def. Errol Barrow (Federalist), Richard Hart (Socialist), Ronald Webster (United Progressive)
1978 - : Eric Matthew Gairy (Federalist)
1978 (Majority) def. Hugh Shearer (Democratic), Tim Hector (Socialist), Ronald Webster (United Progressive)

No write up today, but this is more me trying to do more lists that aren’t often about Western European nations or Japan. So here we kind of have the worst case scenario for the West Indies Federation, where those Strongman Trade Unionists in time manage to takeover the course of politics for the worse. The West Indies Federation has two roots from there, continued autocratic strongman leaders or something akin to the New Jewel Movement takes-over in the early 80s.

Next time I’ll try and do a scenario which isn’t as bleak. Maybe Michael Manley not having to deal with political violence or some list about an Arab nation etc.

 

[morbidteaparty]

General Secretary's of the Danube Associated Treaty Organisation

Jan Šrámek, Czechoslovak Republic, 1949 - 1951

Otto Ender, Federal Republic of Austria, 1951 - 1953

Edvard Kardelj, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, 1953 - 1955

Zoltán Tildy, Republic of Hungary, 1955 - 1957

Jan Sergěj Ingr, Czechoslovak Republic, 1957 - *

*Term increased from two years to five, presidency held on policy of rotation between the four member nations

Presidents & Prime Ministers of Czechoslovakia

Eduard Beneš, Czech National Social Party, 1945-1948

1. Jan Šrámek, Czechoslovak Peoples Party, 1945 - 1946
2. Jozef Lettrich, Democratic Agrarian Party, 1946 - 1949

Petr Zenkl, Czech National Social Party, 1948-1954

1. Jan Masaryk, Czech National Social Party, 1949 - 1951
2. Jan Šrámek, Czechoslovak Peoples Party, 1951
3. Ivan Frlička, Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party, 1951 - 1958

Jan Šrámek, Czechoslovak Peoples Party, 1954-1960

1. Vladimír Clementis, Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party, 1958 -

Bohumil Laušman, Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party, 1960-

Presidents & Prime Ministers of the Federal Peoples Republic of Yugoslavia

Josip Broz Tito, Popular Democratic Front, 1946-

1. Edvard Kardelj, Popular Democratic Front, 1946 - 1949
2. Milovan Đilas, Popular Democratic Front, 1949 - 1955
3. Rodoljub Čolaković, Popular Democratic Front, 1955 -

Presidents and Prime Ministers of Hungary

Zoltán Tildy, National Party, 1946 - 1954

1. Péter Veres, National Party, 1946 - 1954

Ernő Bródy, Popular Radical Party, 1954 -

1. István Balogh, Popular Radical Party, 1954 - 1956
2. Miklós Nyárádi, National Party, 1956 - 1959
3. István Barankovics, Christian Democratic Union, 1959 -

Presidents and Chancellors of Austria

Karl Renner, Social Democratic Party, 1945 - 1951

1. Leopold Figl, Austrian Peoples Party, 1945 - 1953

Heinrich Gleißner, Austrian Peoples Party, 1951 -

1. Adolf Schärf, Social Democratic Party, 1953 -

 

[The Red]

My entry for August's list challenge, feels relevant.


SAME AS IT EVER WAS



List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

1990-1997: John Major (Conservative)
1997-2007: Tony Blair (Labour) [1]
2007-2008: John McDonnell (Labour) [2]
2008-2010: Mervyn King, Lord King of Lothbury [3]
2010-????: David Cameron (Conservative) [4]



[1] When it came time for the associated hacks and journos to determine the legacy of Tony Blair there was plenty of fodder for column inches. Those sympathetic to the man would highlight the achievements of peace in Ireland, devolution for Scotland and Wales, record public spending and sustained prosperity. Blair had united everyone, standing by the special relationship with the United States in the global War on Terror whilst being the most pro-European Prime Minister in British history, all underpinned by his unprecedented electoral success.

The detractors, and there were many, said Blair had blood on his hands. He had falsified reasons to start a war that already had a death toll in the hundreds of thousands and would eventually climb to over a million. He had torn the soul out of the Labour party to chase power and in doing so had opened up Britain to ever creeping privatisation far beyond what the Tories might ever dreamed of getting away with. Although the transition of the NHS to the Team GB Healthcare Plan was still some time away in the future, in 2007 this legacy was already apparent. It was safe to say Blair had long become a divisive figure and what his legacy would be was very much a matter of dispute when it came to choosing his successor as Labour leader.

The 2007 Labour leadership election was supposed to be a coronation, the agreed handover of power to Blair’s former friend and ally Gordon Brown. Brown had negotiated a power sharing agreement shortly before Blair became Labour leader which had given him not only the Chancellorship but an unprecedented level of control over the treasury. In exchange he had agreed to support Blair’s leadership bid on the understanding that in a successful Labour government Blair would hand power over to him at some point in his second term.

This promise had come and gone, Blair continued on as Prime Minister into a third term and Brown’s control over the economy tightened. The friendship fell by the wayside as did any form of working arrangement; the feud threatened the stability Labour had enjoyed since the mid-eighties. Blair’s dreams of a new liberal interventionist world order burned in the fires of Iraq while at home he was called a murderer by members of his own party and didn’t have access to his own budget until it was read out in the House of Commons. These strains, augmented by an existing heart condition and new drinking problem, compounded for Blair to finally agree to go in 2007. But this didn’t mean he didn’t have supporters who were happy to simply let Brown takeover.

The conflict between Blair and Brown had come to characterise the ‘New’ Labour party they had built, it was a match of personalities rather than any great ideological divide but this didn’t prevent both sides from becoming heated. ‘Brownites’ saw ‘Blairites’ as obnoxious and duplicitous whilst in turn they were regarded as aggressive and resentful. There were many who had hoped to paper over these cracks, some Blairites saw potential for advancement in a new Brown ministry whilst some Brownites welcomed them in the hopes that once Brown was established as leader these divisions would become irrelevant in the new regime. There were many Blairites who feared they were right and that Blair’s legacy must be defended and to achieve this they looked to the leadership election and David Miliband.

David Miliband, the young, articulate Environment Secretary had enjoyed a meteoric rise in the party from student politics to policy wonk to becoming a junior minister barely three years after first becoming an MP. In spite of being the son of a famous Marxist academic, Miliband bled New Labour and had been behind the project from the very beginning. Many felt he was too junior to go up against Brown’s decades of experience and record of success. This had initially included Miliband himself who had aspired to bag a great office of state under Brown and work towards becoming his successor.

In the cattiness of the ensuing leadership contest it is unclear what motivated Miliband to abandon what seemed a far more straightforward, albeit protracted, route to power and instead risk everything on a challenge in 2007. All that has been offered beyond the official statements was gossip that Brown had been overheard saying Miliband had no place in his future government as part of a particularly charged rant against the obstruction of Blair and his followers. Regardless, there were more than enough MPs still loyal to Blair to give Miliband the votes he needed and more. There was even a plan for those unnecessary extra votes, for if David was going up against Goliath, why not force Goliath to fight on two fronts?



[2] Whether John McDonnell gained the nominations required to get on the leadership ballot as an unwitting pawn of the Blairites, or vice versa, is unclear. At the very least the last few MPs nominations he received were not the sort of people who would usually support a Bennite in what remained of the hard left of theLabour party. For all the talk of “opening up the contest” few considered McDonnell a serious contender, let alone McDonnell himself. His entire strategy had been to represent the left of the party and try to force policy discussions which might not have taken place in a straight Brown-Miliband fight. This proved to be true as his two opponents fronted their campaigns on building on the New Labour legacy whilst implicitly rehashing all of the old Blair-Brown animosity. McDonnell on other hand had clear (if dusted off) ideas and, in the old Bennite tradition, a clear understanding of internal party mechanisms.

‘New’ Labour had been more than a branding exercise for Blair, the party itself had been ‘updated’ in his image. Gone were the old parts of the party constitution calling for common ownership of the means of production, gone too was the direct influence of Trade Unions and left-wing groups on future leadership elections in favour of a One Member One Vote system. Instead union members interested could choose to register as supporters of the party for a small fee in exchange for a vote, a move that was also opened to members of the general public. In Blair’s eyes he had done away with outmoded ideas and entrenched powers and made the party more open and forward thinking, it hadn’t occurred to him that it was the perfect conditions for a mass movement for in 1994 one didn’t exist. He hadn’t yet invaded Iraq.

McDonnell was a darling of the anti-war left and those who previously had sworn never to vote Labour again signed up as supporters in droves. The party had left them after all, why not help bring it back? Beyond that he was much more affable and relatable than the usual tabloid caricatures of the loony left. Brown and Miliband were both economists but McDonnell had started his political career on the shop floor doing a normal job. Whilst his ideas were labelled old fashioned or proven to have failed they appeared fresh in the new neoliberal world Blair had helped create and original in comparison to the fratricide Brown and Miliband focused most of their attention on. The first Labour leadership polling changed that but by then it was already too late.

McDonnell had struck a chord somehow, he reflected a change in a way that was oddly reminiscent of Blair. New Labour had once been the toast of Britpop but after ten years of blood and privatisation it had become stale in spite of the relative prosperity it had delivered. Perhaps it was complacency borne of an easier life that drew people to him or perhaps a yearning for something more, but either way the lifetime backbencher was suddenly gaining on the two ‘serious’ candidates. The Murdoch press turned its guns on him, the sudden surge of supporters revived old fears of Trotskyite entryism and the markets warned of an economic disaster that might be brought about by a new wave of nationalisations. MPs who had nominated McDonnell only a month previously now warned that he would destroy the country whilst Brown and Miliband had emails leaked of them preparing a joint statement opposing McDonnell’s agenda. It was all a bit hyperbolic and contradictory in face of McDonnell’s dignified speeches to packed halls about removing the stain of the Iraq war and an escape from the New Labour melodrama. Blair’s own intervention, which seemed to imply he might need to flee the country if McDonnell were to come to power, proved particularly tone deaf.

On the alternative voting system the Labour party used McDonnell came ahead in the first round and managed to squeeze out Brown in the second. Theoretically if all of David Miliband’s supporters had given Brown their second preference McDonnell would have been defeated, perhaps the final conceit of the feud between two former friends. The winner spoke energetically of change and new beginnings but already looked overwhelmed by the meteoric success of his campaign. By the time the lifelong republican was travelling to Buckingham Palace there were already plots to bury his agenda in its infancy.

McDonnell had a clear set of policy proposals; worker representation on company boards, nationalisation of the railways, a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq as quickly as possible however he quickly found himself facing a parliamentary party, a civil service and a military which viewed him as an interloper. His attempts to build a Cabinet immediately became a farce as most with ministerial experience became wary and others who might have previously sought promotion chose to wait until the anachronism was over and a more sensible choice for the top job took over. There was a lot of talk of letting McDonnell have a chance with the implicit byline that he wouldn’t be around for long, there were even proposals that the leader of the Labour party need not necessarily be the Prime Minister and that McDonnell should become a sort of spiritual leader whilst the sensible work of government was left to those with experience. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King calmed the markets on the basis of the British economy’s underlying health and that the current disruption would be temporary but even as that minor panic subsided a far larger, global crisis loomed on the horizon.

After a few chaotic weeks it was clear that McDonnell wasn’t keen on giving up any time soon and had managed to assemble his notorious ‘IKEA’ cabinet of old friends and members of the Socialist Campaign Group. A relatively tame budget was passed on the basis of existing spending plans finally surrendered by former treasury employees in the name of the nation’s financial stability whilst the army continued to prevaricate on any immediate withdrawal from the War on Terror arguing that only a phased withdrawal would prevent chaos in the Middle East. A chilly conference season followed where speculations about a coup fell flat, McDonnell had little to show for this time in office but promised a great deal for the future. Internally he was focused on managing through until the Christmas period and revamping his legislative agenda in the New Year. Events in the darker nights would spell far greater opportunities than he might have imagined.

The collapse of the housing market in the United States revealed a series of bets on bad debt made on behalf of much of the global financial system. Everyone had been in on it and the United Kingdom with its powerful financial and service sectors became particularly vulnerable. McDonnell who had spent his entire political career railing against the neoliberal policies of Blair and Thatcher suddenly looked prophetic. The majority of the British public who had previously seen him as a deranged ideologue, or perhaps simply well meaning but naive, began to listen to his rhetoric about making sure those responsible for the crisis be made to pay. There were also those, including the majority of Labour MPs, who felt that a vindicated McDonnell who had a mandate for his programme was The One Thing They Didn’t Want To Happen.

The collapse of the British financial sector loomed and with it the British economy. Unprecedented state intervention was now required, far beyond what even the left of the Labour party could have gotten away with demanding previously. McDonnell now made new demands; State buyouts or nationalisations with terms demanding the breakup of the large banks and governmental oversight of the remnants, a wealth tax to cover spending and criminal prosecution against those who had gambled with peoples mortgages and pensions were all proposals that resonated with the public but threatened economic and political meltdown. McDonnell was cast by much of the press and many from his own party as a petty extremist happy to destroy the British economy if it meant his ideological agenda could be fulfilled. The Parliamentary Labour Party had wished to give the Prime Minister more time to dig his own grave but removing him now became a matter of urgency. After attempts to plead with him to resign over health or inexperience flopped, the process of a Vote of No Confidence went ahead in earnest during the Summer of 2008.


[3] McDonnell lost the vote heavily with less than a tenth of the parliamentary party coming out in his support however the vote provided no mechanism for his removal and he refused to resign, instead daring those who had voted against him to stand against him in a vote of the party membership. It was doubtful that the Prime Minister would have been able to attain the nominations necessary to stand in another leadership election now relegated only to his allies but whether an incumbent leader would automatically be allowed on the ballot remained uncertain. The decision would be left to the party’s National Executive Committee, a body which many complained was unfit to determine whether not Britain should be allowed to descend into chaos.

Before the NEC could vote on the matter, articles of impeachment were brought against McDonnell from within the House of Commons. The legal basis of such an act was murky in the uncodified British constitution although it had been fleshed out somewhat in the 2004 campaign to impeach Blair over the misrepresentation of the war in Iraq. The majority of the PLP opposed to McDonnell agreed with the leaderships of both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats that McDonnell had to go for the sake of the nation over party interest, even if concessions would be required. Neither David Cameron nor Nick Clegg were not happy with the idea of selflessly saving Britain’s economy only for it to result in Labour’s electoral advantage. McDonnell needed to go but in exchange for their support what would replace him would not be left solely to Labour.

The Articles of Impeachment sailed through the Commons, the case being heard and rubber stamped by the House of Lords who were more than happy to put an end to the political career of a man who wanted to put an end to them. With McDonnell no longer an MP Labour’s Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman, briefly became Britain’s second female Prime Minister whilst party machinations constructed a true successor for troubled times.

[4] Mervyn King never had any intention of becoming Prime Minister, it was partly for this reason that he was the perfect figure to lead the National Government formed in the aftermath of the agreement signed by all three major parties in the rose garden of 10 Downing Street. King’s frequent television appearances as Governor of the Bank of England during the year’s heavy financial news had made him a public figure, and more importantly one who was regarded as apolitical and trustworthy. His elevation to the role of Prime Minister was directed via peerage rather than a by-election out of fear the latter may prove too risky (as John McDonnell would show by retaking his own seat as an independent candidate) with special provisions being made for the newly christened Lord King of Lothbury to speak in the House of Commons when required.

This was not to say that King’s cabinet was apolitical with all parties having manoeuvred to get themselves the most power to put them in a strong position at the end of the agreement, dated to be the 2010 General Election. With McDonnell disqualified due to not being an MP at the time, David Miliband successfully became Labour leader and Foreign Secretary. David Cameron, no longer Leader of the Opposition, became responsible for Business and Innovation, leaving the Home Secretary position to his ally Chris Grayling. Nick Clegg became Minister for Europe, heartened that King had requested David Laws serve as Chancellor.

The first National Government since the war ached and groaned as three parties tried to work to the letter of the Rose Garden Agreement and with each other. Nonetheless, the House of Commons became a rubber stamp as a series of tough decisions sailed through in bailing out British finance and restructuring the welfare state in order to pay for it. David Miliband rebuilt and enhanced the special relationship with the new Clinton administration, David Cameron was never far from a market stall praising those real Britons who loved having a punt and having a go whilst Nick Clegg preached the British financial solution to the continentals in multiple languages. All the while the anticipated but severe recession burned through good will and the parliamentary expenses scandal made it non-existent. Nick Griffin’s BNP and McDonnell’s People’s Assembly did unsettlingly well at the 2009 local and European elections even as the rise of both ironically tempered the tide of anti-establishment sentiment somewhat as a potent far-left and far-ring often do.

King had steadied the ship and happily handed over power back to the British people as Parliament dissolved itself for the 2010 elections. He retired to a controversial legacy but remained aloof from party politics, even while happily weighing in on whether this or that decision was sufficiently in keeping with Rose Garden like a white haired Oracle of Delphi.


[4] David Miliband felt he could retain the majorities of the Blair years and was emboldened by his new campaign manager, John McTernan, to aggressively defend the New Labour brand and all it had brought for Britain. Afghanistan, Iraq, McDonnell, Rose Garden and the end of the Welfare State became difficult achievements to campaign on when faced with the general public however. David Cameron who had used this Rose Garden brief to subtly campaign for the previous year and a half was well aware of this and provided an alternative to the mess that Labour had created and begged him to help clear up. All of the old consensus of politics had been shattered by the need to do what was right, why not keep going in that spirit and build a Big Society on the ruins of Big Government?


---


Mondeo Man feels a great deal older than he used to although not quite as dysfunctional as the Ford he has managed to keep running since the early nineties. The market for trade disappeared during the financial insecurity, as did his wife when belts needed to be tightened and the only thing left in abundance were arguments over this or that purchase.

The money that does know come into his end-of-terrace comes through the car in cab fees and takeaway deliveries, the apps keep him working all hours which is why it’s particularly frustrating to be left on hold to various government call centres, arguing that as his mother now lives with him he no longer has a spare bedroom and ergo is exempt from the Mandatory Life Rent clause. His mum is watching the telly in the other room, The Daily Politics; a load of nonsense. Politics was always hard to understand but now we can’t decide whether it’s overly simplistic or overly complex. The same group seem to switch places in arguing whether or not this or that decision is sufficiently ‘Rose Garden’, like that rocking horse in Casablanca. It’s all just gibberish, drowned out by the slightly less irritating hold music on the other end of the line.

Mondeo Man’s Mum seethes at them all. This country used to be great, she used to have a house, and now it’s all being sold down the river while her son scrambles to find a pot to piss in. She dearly wants things to get better but there isn’t much she can do at her age. All she has is her small pension and as much as she would love to pass it on to her son when she passes, she has decided instead to leave it to the future. The men who wore nice suits to cover their old tattoos explained it all to her whilst her son was out delivering foreign food to God knows who or what.

Through managing her estate, those men can help her build a real legacy.


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