"What might have been" in politics

[pigamus]

I never quite understood why Portillo quit when he did. Everybody at the time said it was obviously the end of his career - but why? He wasn't that old.

[Tom Tortoise]

Would Brexit have happened if Nigel Farage had died in that plane crash?

[the]

Can you imagine the biggyspiracy threads if he had


^{Edit: Welcome back BTW!}

[imitationleather]

Would Brexit have happened if Nigel Farage had died in that plane crash?

I'd probably take leaving the EU if it meant he would have died in that plane crash.

[kngen]

Kinnock's BritainDavid Cameron's Big Society, New Year's Eve, 2015

[petril]

What if Gordon Banks had played etc

[Thomas]

David Miliband would have resigned amid revelations that he put his banana in a dead pig's mouth.

[imitationleather]

David Miliband would have resigned amid revelations that he put his banana in a dead pig's mouth.

Pig meat brings down another Miliband.

[greencalx]

I don't understand why the centrists get weak at the knees over Miliband D. I can't think of a single distinctive thing he's ever said or done.

[imitationleather]

He's in charge of the Thunderbirds now, isn't he? That's pretty impressive.

[The Culture Bunker]

I don't understand why the centrists get weak at the knees over Miliband D. I can't think of a single distinctive thing he's ever said or done.

Someone once told me he's like a player at a struggling club who has been injured for a very long time: as time goes on, his skills and potential to turn things around reaches Pele-like levels, while forgetting he was just another mediocre squad member in the past.

[Howj Begg]

D Miliband = Winston Bogarde

[Dr Rock]

If Amber Rudd was the new PM I'd be £400 up.

[mojo filters]

Remember Ed Miliband brought in David Axelrod to run his 2015 campaign. Admittedly this was Axelrod's first and only foray into British politics.

However he took a one term Illinios junior senator, from community organiser and provincial academic - to beat Hillary Clinton in the primary, then the great white hope of Bush 43 antagonist John McCain in the general.

I'm sure more factors played into the 2015 UK general election. If you want a tangible notion of what could have been in terms of UK Labour Party, John Smith's death seems like an inflection point - he never proposed abolishing Clause 4, figuratively leaving any last vestige of honest socialism in the rear view mirror.

I further suspect he would have been far more friendly towards Europe than Blair was. Had we fully embraced all the benefits of single currency etc - I doubt today's Brexit/Tory shambles would be blighting UK politics, but that's just a guess as who knows how toxic the likes of Farage and Nuttalls could have subsequently been?

[Alternative Carpark]

I further suspect he would have been far more friendly towards Europe than Blair was. Had we fully embraced all the benefits of single currency etc - I doubt today's Brexit/Tory shambles would be blighting UK politics, but that's just a guess as who knows how toxic the likes of Farage and Nuttalls could have subsequently been?

It was Brown more than Blair who was against joining the single currency at the time though, wasn't it?  Had it not been for the former, the latter might have attempted it sometime.

[Gulftastic]

Kinnock was an answer on Mastermind the other day and the quizee got it wrong, as if they'd never heard of him. Felt quite bad for him (Kinnock). It was the final as well :(

At least Kinnock got mentioned in an episode of 'The Gilmore Girls'. He'll always have that.