Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-10975360-20140530130134/@comment-5122856-20140617211444

Lordganon wrote: Election just after the Gulf War, still probably a majority for Thatcher, though very small. Remember, Major won a majority in 1992 otl. Gulf War helped the popularity quite a bit. Chalk the loss of seats up to general long-term dissatisfaction.

Labour to power in 1997~

Mrs Thatcher could have used the Gulf War as a political device in a 1991 election and tried to promote her case (see the Falklands War of 1982). The real trouble was in Scotland! Mrs Thatcher was seen as too English and the SNP pilloried her over it She was also disliked in some parts of Scotland and Northern England for being a woman. Many people in Glasgow and along the River Clyde dubbed her "That woman"/"The mad witch of the South"/"That bitch".

Mr Major had an advantage in 1997, as did Mr Blair in 1997- They were noticeably less England obsessive than Mrs Thatcher and were both men.

If Mrs Thatcher had not stood down then you can forget the 11 Scottish Tory MPs straight away!

Aberdeen S.- Labour Kincardine and Deeside- Lib' Dem's Tayside N.- SNP Perth and Kinross- Labour Eastwood- Labour Ayr- Labour Sterlingshire and the Trossachs- Labour Edinburgh East- Lib' Dem's Edinburgh Pentland Hills View- Labour Galloway and Nithsdale- SNP Dumfriesshire- Labour

Wales, England and N. Ireland would have stayed pretty much OTL either way.