• Hi Guest!

    The costs of running this forum are covered by Sea Lion Press. If you'd like to help support the company and the forum, visit patreon.com/sealionpress

WI: Baldwin Resigns in 1931

Milo

George Brown Apologist
Patreon supporter
Location
London
I'm thinking about doing a TL where Baldwin loses the Westminster St George By Election in 1931, maybe as the candidate himself as he thought about doing. Who do you think would replace him, would it be someone Beaverbrook and Rothermere would approve of or someone not interested in tariffs. I know that Baldwin recommend Neville Chamberlain when he resigned in 1937, but I'm sure other senior Tories would have a say especially if Baldwin has lost his seat.
 
It’s a scenario that I really love to dive into and, unfortunately (based on what I’ve read), the answer to your question of who replaces Baldwin is a very boring one: Neville Chamberlain. There was conspiracy afoot within the Tories after the public ruptures of Rothermere and Beaverbrook, leading to Neville, his brother Austen, Samuel Hoare, and Chief Whip Eyres-Monsell all agreeing that Baldwin was inevitably going to go. The cabal solidified around Neville at the time and it was also understood that his leadership was most preferable to the press barons.

It would’ve been Neville. Now, what the younger Chamberlain brother does in ‘31 is up to more interpretation because there is some evidence that he thought about bringing Oswald Mosley into the Tory fold later that year (a move facilitated by party administrator and noted enemy of Churchill, George Joseph Ball). Not something I’ve seen done before and would be an interesting avenue down which to go.
 
Now, what the younger Chamberlain brother does in ‘31 is up to more interpretation because there is some evidence that he thought about bringing Oswald Mosley into the Tory fold later that year (a move facilitated by party administrator and noted enemy of Churchill, George Joseph Ball). Not something I’ve seen done before and would be an interesting avenue down which to go.
Interesting, Oswald Mosley bouncing from Labour to Tories means he would likely skip the New Party and everything that happened afterwards. I could see him and Kingsley Wood getting on well and you could see Neville aiming for a more 'Liberal Unionist' style party if that makes sense.
 
It’s a scenario that I really love to dive into and, unfortunately (based on what I’ve read), the answer to your question of who replaces Baldwin is a very boring one: Neville Chamberlain. There was conspiracy afoot within the Tories after the public ruptures of Rothermere and Beaverbrook, leading to Neville, his brother Austen, Samuel Hoare, and Chief Whip Eyres-Monsell all agreeing that Baldwin was inevitably going to go. The cabal solidified around Neville at the time and it was also understood that his leadership was most preferable to the press barons.

It would’ve been Neville. Now, what the younger Chamberlain brother does in ‘31 is up to more interpretation because there is some evidence that he thought about bringing Oswald Mosley into the Tory fold later that year (a move facilitated by party administrator and noted enemy of Churchill, George Joseph Ball). Not something I’ve seen done before and would be an interesting avenue down which to go.
Yeah from what I gleamed it would have been Neville but that seemed a bit dull,I thought about Austen maybe as I assumed he would held more appeal for the Press Barons. My current plan was to delay Mosley's New Party till the August Crisis where MacDonald presses forward with the cuts, at the same time you have United Empire Party making ground. So you probably have an election in 1931, but with no national government, splitters on both ends with a sort of Alt-Coupon Election. Whereby New Party Candidates wouldn't run against Labour ones who signed up to a New Mosley Memorandum and UEP candidates not running against Tariff Tories. It would be a mess though I think it would have Tories as the largest party and maybe even a small majority.
 
I'm thinking about doing a TL where Baldwin loses the Westminster St George By Election in 1931, maybe as the candidate himself as he thought about doing. Who do you think would replace him, would it be someone Beaverbrook and Rothermere would approve of or someone not interested in tariffs. I know that Baldwin recommend Neville Chamberlain when he resigned in 1937, but I'm sure other senior Tories would have a say especially if Baldwin has lost his seat.

This is a bit of a departure from the original scenario but is it possible to marry this with a POD of Neville Chamberlain losing his Birmingham Ladywood seat in 1924 to Oswald Mosley? This could deal a devastating blow to Chamberlain's chances of succeeding Baldwin in 1931 or at any other point whilst giving Mosley two more years to build his standing...

It could also lead to a more interesting replacement to Baldwin if he were to stand down in 1931, such as Sir William Joynson-Hicks (if he can escape death in 1932), the previously mentioned Austen Chamberlain or someone else entirely...
 
It’s a scenario that I really love to dive into and, unfortunately (based on what I’ve read), the answer to your question of who replaces Baldwin is a very boring one: Neville Chamberlain. There was conspiracy afoot within the Tories after the public ruptures of Rothermere and Beaverbrook, leading to Neville, his brother Austen, Samuel Hoare, and Chief Whip Eyres-Monsell all agreeing that Baldwin was inevitably going to go. The cabal solidified around Neville at the time and it was also understood that his leadership was most preferable to the press barons.

It would’ve been Neville. Now, what the younger Chamberlain brother does in ‘31 is up to more interpretation because there is some evidence that he thought about bringing Oswald Mosley into the Tory fold later that year (a move facilitated by party administrator and noted enemy of Churchill, George Joseph Ball). Not something I’ve seen done before and would be an interesting avenue down which to go.
While it would be very strained, surely there's at least a vignette in here where we get Neville Chamberlain, Heroic Crusher of Hitlerite Germany In Its Cradle.
 
This is a bit of a departure from the original scenario but is it possible to marry this with a POD of Neville Chamberlain losing his Birmingham Ladywood seat in 1924 to Oswald Mosley? This could deal a devastating blow to Chamberlain's chances of succeeding Baldwin in 1931 or at any other point whilst giving Mosley two more years to build his standing...

It could also lead to a more interesting replacement to Baldwin if he were to stand down in 1931, such as Sir William Joynson-Hicks (if he can escape death in 1932), the previously mentioned Austen Chamberlain or someone else entirely...
Well Mosley winning Ladywood was the Pod for EdT's TL a Greater Britain if I remember correctly
 
While it would be very strained, surely there's at least a vignette in here where we get Neville Chamberlain, Heroic Crusher of Hitlerite Germany In Its Cradle.
If I can get a vignette out of Arthur Wilson, crusher (in a small way) of Hitlerite Germany in 37ish, then there's definitely room for a Chamberlain one.
 
Back
Top