May 6 2015 – two potential scenarios

By Luke Bozier / @lukebozier

May 6th, 2015. 1.30pm: Caroline Flint MP, Leader of the Opposition speeds through the gates of Buckingham Palace as summoned by Her Majesty’s Private Secretary. Half an hour later, the government Jaguar takes Prime Minister Flint back to Downing Street where she stands in front of the world’s most famous front door and makes a magnanimous speech about her predecessor Cameron who only forty-five minutes ago left through the back door.

Making specific references to her campaign which led to Labour gaining fifty seats and a majority: aspiration, opportunities for all and an optimistic vision of Britain 2020, Prime Minister Flint, arguably the most powerful woman in the world, recognises the slim majority she has and promises to govern as a unity government. The main aim of her term as Prime Minister will be to rapidly build upon Britain’s fledgling growth, finish off the fiscal consolidation of the 2010-2015 Coalition government and get unemployment below 3% by 2020.

Throughout the afternoon details emerge of congratulatory calls from Presidents Romney and Sarkozy, and Prime Minister Flint sets about forming her Cabinet. David Miliband is made Chancellor, Stella Creasy is Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband is Home Secretary. Hazel Blears becomes deputy Prime Minister and Ed Balls is sent to the Ministry of Defence.

Addressing an extraordinary gathering of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Prime Minister Flint, to rapturous applause, promises to use her position to build on the work of previous Labour governments in reducing the opportunity gap in modern Britain by finishing off New Labour’s aim to make every school an academy and to bring choice and excellence to every aspect of the NHS.

A Labour government is safely installed and the fifth largest economy, and fourth most powerful military in the world are in the hands of a female Prime Minister for only the second time in its history.

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May 6th, 2015. 1.30pm: Ed Miliband is applauded for his dedication and hard work leading Labour through its toughest General Election defeat since 1983. with Labour’s total seat count slumping to 220 in the face of a Conservative landslide. Senior Labour figures line up to praise Miliband, and are steadfast in their support. The party blame the loss on a hostile ‘Tory media’, positive growth figures over the last two years, low ‘progressive turnout’ and a slowly falling unemployment figure.

Addressing an extraordinary gathering of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Ed Miliband promises to fight on, explaining why the ‘progressive majority in Britain’ didn’t turn out to vote because of apathy, and promising to re-design British politics from the ground up. Talk in Westminster swiftly moves to brother David and the inevitable leadership challenge.

Prime Minister Cameron, speaking in Downing Street, promises to continue the radical reform programme which has improved the NHS and schools, and to build on the fiscal consolidation of the last term, guaranteeing a budget surplus by 2017. There is no sign of Nick Clegg.