Theresa May is PM in 1939...

[Antiochian]

Having replaced Chamberlain after a Tory party coup upon his return waving a  piece of paper saying "peace in our time" May has become PM promising to resist all aggression by evil foreigners.

Upon the German invasion of Poland she goes into an all-night conclave with Whitehall advisors (but nobody of relevance from the party, except Lord Halifax) and some nocturnal phone calls to Eamon de Valera. An early morning plane is readied (without any consultation with the King, Cabinet or party "grandees") and she flies off to Berlin to negotiate with Hitler and Von Ribbentrop (with Vidkun Quisling in attendance to offer the Norway Option). It is resolved that the UK will become a satellite state of the Reich much like Hungary.

Due to a treacherous butler at Number 10 leaking to the then Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson (a quasi-Turk if ever there was one), comes to know that foul deeds were afoot. He hotfoots it to the palace and the King appoints BJ as PM, as the former incumbent has been deemed to have "gone over to the enemy". 

War is declared. May then is set up by Hitler as a mouthpiece on radio broadcasts into the besieged England. Lord HawHaw has all pretenses to notoriety forestalled as the vicar's daughter promises that, come the day of the victory of the Third Reich, grammar schools will never be abolished (which is regarded as laughable by the English middle classes, as who would ever abolish them in the first place). She makes no other promises except to shoot all illegal immigrants upon sight.  

Hitler starts to get wary of her during the latter phases of the struggle and decides to keep her close to him. Her "expert advice" is sought  and she is brought to the Wolfsschanze on 20 July 1944. Unfortunately for her it's the day of the Bomb Plot by von Stauffenberg and while she is serving the tea and scones she has been detailed off to make, she is interposed between the infamous briefcase and the Fuhrer and takes the full brunt of the blast, going out with a bang. News of her demise is greeted with general jubilation in the UK when it arrives several months later. She becomes a popular figure for inclusion in Guy Fawkes bonfires after VE Day. 

As May doesn't have quite the ring of Quisling she gradually fades into obscurity in the minds of the populace and is regarded in the history books as one of the more dubious exponents of the Norway Option. 

[Deleted]

Must be the silliest alternate History thread ever.

[gwynthegriff]

Dec 9, 2017 20:22:03 GMT Antiochian said:

Having replaced Chamberlain after a Tory party coup upon his return waving a  piece of paper saying "peace in our time" May has become PM promising to resist all aggression by evil foreigners.

Upon the German invasion of Poland she goes into an all-night conclave with Whitehall advisors (but nobody of relevance from the party, except Lord Halifax) and some nocturnal phone calls to Eamon de Valera. An early morning plane is readied (without any consultation with the King, Cabinet or party "grandees") and she flies off to Berlin to negotiate with Hitler and Von Ribbentrop (with Vidkun Quisling in attendance to offer the Norway Option). It is resolved that the UK will become a satellite state of the Reich much like Hungary.

Due to a treacherous butler at Number 10 leaking to the then Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson (a quasi-Turk if ever there was one), comes to know that foul deeds were afoot. He hotfoots it to the palace and the King appoints BJ as PM, as the former incumbent has been deemed to have "gone over to the enemy". 

War is declared. May then is set up by Hitler as a mouthpiece on radio broadcasts into the besieged England. Lord HawHaw has all pretenses to notoriety forestalled as the vicar's daughter promises that, come the day of the victory of the Third Reich, grammar schools will never be abolished (which is regarded as laughable by the English middle classes, as who would ever abolish them in the first place). She makes no other promises except to shoot all illegal immigrants upon sight.  

Hitler starts to get wary of her during the latter phases of the struggle and decides to keep her close to him. Her "expert advice" is sought  and she is brought to the Wolfsschanze on 20 July 1944. Unfortunately for her it's the day of the Bomb Plot by von Stauffenberg and while she is serving the tea and scones she has been detailed off to make, she is interposed between the infamous briefcase and the Fuhrer and takes the full brunt of the blast, going out with a bang. News of her demise is greeted with general jubilation in the UK when it arrives several months later. She becomes a popular figure for inclusion in Guy Fawkes bonfires after VE Day. 

As May doesn't have quite the ring of Quisling she gradually fades into obscurity in the minds of the populace and is regarded in the history books as one of the more dubious exponents of the Norway Option. 

Or what if Winston Churchill was Leader of the Conservative Party at the 2010 General Election and led the negotiations with Nick Clegg ... ?

[peterl]

Of course one plus of this scenario is that May would not be PM now!

[Deleted]

I enjoyed the comparison of BoJo and Churchill. There’s a lot of comparisons between those two men. Positive, like their immense personal drive to accomplish their goals despite massive opposition and negative, like their main personal goals are basically their own self promotion. They both have/had other beliefs though, but that was/is their main one.

[Strontium Dog]

If May was PM back then, she would be pointing out that more than 99.7% of Austrians had voted to be annexed to Germany - "Anschluss means Anschluss" - and therefore anyone opposing Nazi expansionism was against the will of the people and a saboteur.

[Richard Allen]

Dec 10, 2017 16:59:14 GMT @davidr said:

I enjoyed the comparison of BoJo and Churchill. There’s a lot of comparisons between those two men. Positive, like their immense personal drive to accomplish their goals despite massive opposition and negative, like their main personal goals are basically their own self promotion. They both have/had other beliefs though, but that was/is their main one.

The obvious difference of course being the vast gulf in terms of ability.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2017 17:54:40 GMT Richard Allen said:

Dec 10, 2017 16:59:14 GMT @davidr said:

I enjoyed the comparison of BoJo and Churchill. There’s a lot of comparisons between those two men. Positive, like their immense personal drive to accomplish their goals despite massive opposition and negative, like their main personal goals are basically their own self promotion. They both have/had other beliefs though, but that was/is their main one.

The obvious difference of course being the vast gulf in terms of ability.

I accept that Churchill was far superior to BoJo. They are both unique individuals. However I do maintain that the comparisons are there, they both excell(ed) in unique circumstances for example. Churchill was an exceptional war leader but a mediocre peace time PM. Johnson was a mediocre Mayor of London, let’s face it at best mediocre, but during the referendum was an exceptional campaigner for Leave. I am willing to go out on a limb and say he won the referendum for Leave. His line at the Wembley debate about “Make June 23rd our Independence Day” was fantastic. It even got a standing ovation from a large proportion of the audience. 

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2017 18:18:16 GMT @davidr said:

Dec 10, 2017 17:54:40 GMT Richard Allen said:

The obvious difference of course being the vast gulf in terms of ability.

I accept that Churchill was far superior to BoJo. They are both unique individuals. However I do maintain that the comparisons are there, they both excell(ed) in unique circumstances for example. Churchill was an exceptional war leader but a mediocre peace time PM. Johnson was a mediocre Mayor of London, let’s face it at best mediocre, but during the referendum was an exceptional campaigner for Leave. I am willing to go out on a limb and say he won the referendum for Leave. His line at the Wembley debate about “Make June 23rd our Independence Day” was fantastic. It even got a standing ovation from a large proportion of the audience. 

What's exceptional about switching from remain to leave other than the naked opportunism of the move?

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2017 18:30:59 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Dec 10, 2017 18:18:16 GMT @davidr said:

I accept that Churchill was far superior to BoJo. They are both unique individuals. However I do maintain that the comparisons are there, they both excell(ed) in unique circumstances for example. Churchill was an exceptional war leader but a mediocre peace time PM. Johnson was a mediocre Mayor of London, let’s face it at best mediocre, but during the referendum was an exceptional campaigner for Leave. I am willing to go out on a limb and say he won the referendum for Leave. His line at the Wembley debate about “Make June 23rd our Independence Day” was fantastic. It even got a standing ovation from a large proportion of the audience. 

What's exceptional about switching from remain to leave other than the naked opportunism of the move?

I don’t buy the popular analysis. I believe he genuinely struggled over the situation. For example, take the infamous articles he wrote to convince himself. I did that when I studied history in order to figure out which side my essay would come down on. You write the two scenarios down and argue for and against them and whichever you think is strongest you go with. That’s what he did. He is a historian after all. I don’t accept that kind of Boris bashing for its own sake. I think it’s rather pathetic actually.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2017 18:52:10 GMT @davidr said:

Dec 10, 2017 18:30:59 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

What's exceptional about switching from remain to leave other than the naked opportunism of the move?

I don’t buy the popular analysis. I believe he genuinely struggled over the situation. For example, take the infamous articles he wrote to convince himself. I did that when I studied history in order to figure out which side my essay would come down on. You write the two scenarios down and argue for and against them and whichever you think is strongest you go with. That’s what he did. He is a historian after all. I don’t accept that kind of Boris bashing for its own sake. I think it’s rather pathetic actually.

The man is a menace, to himself, his party and his country. This is not Boris bashing he does enough of that himself. There is a clear & obviou8s difference between writing something down in the context of an essay and doing the same in politics. Doing it in politics shows a real fickle, slippery nature something Boris shares in bucket loads with Gove. However some people won't be told will they, well he is your burden and responsibility I hope you accept it when the time comes, as it will, to banish him to where is belongs - obscurity.

[Deleted]

"No war is better than a bad war" - May exclaims as Germany invades Poland.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2017 19:20:32 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Dec 10, 2017 18:52:10 GMT @davidr said:

I don’t buy the popular analysis. I believe he genuinely struggled over the situation. For example, take the infamous articles he wrote to convince himself. I did that when I studied history in order to figure out which side my essay would come down on. You write the two scenarios down and argue for and against them and whichever you think is strongest you go with. That’s what he did. He is a historian after all. I don’t accept that kind of Boris bashing for its own sake. I think it’s rather pathetic actually.

The man is a menace, to himself, his party and his country. This is not Boris bashing he does enough of that himself. There is a clear & obviou8s difference between writing something down in the context of an essay and doing the same in politics. Doing it in politics shows a real fickle, slippery nature something Boris shares in bucket loads with Gove. However some people won't be told will they, well he is your burden and responsibility I hope you accept it when the time comes, as it will, to banish him to where is belongs - obscurity.

My God, you are the most priggish person I’ve talked to on here.

[Ghyl Tarvoke]

I have to admit I was unaware that the cause of Brexit was Germany invading Poland but rather, at least according to the Brexiteers, I thought it was more Poles invading England.

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2017 16:04:11 GMT @davidr said:

Dec 10, 2017 19:20:32 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

The man is a menace, to himself, his party and his country. This is not Boris bashing he does enough of that himself. There is a clear & obviou8s difference between writing something down in the context of an essay and doing the same in politics. Doing it in politics shows a real fickle, slippery nature something Boris shares in bucket loads with Gove. However some people won't be told will they, well he is your burden and responsibility I hope you accept it when the time comes, as it will, to banish him to where is belongs - obscurity.

My God, you are the most priggish person I’ve talked to on here.

Says the man with 46 posts to his name. Stick around for another couple of thousand posts and you will certainly find more...

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2017 20:28:21 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Dec 11, 2017 16:04:11 GMT @davidr said:

My God, you are the most priggish person I’ve talked to on here.

Says the man with 46 posts to his name. Stick around for another couple of thousand posts and you will certainly find more...

I’ve been a registered member in this forum since May, I was a “guest” on this forum for a further 18 months prior. Let’s just say, I know what I’m talking talking about.

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2017 21:14:59 GMT @davidr said:

Dec 11, 2017 20:28:21 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Says the man with 46 posts to his name. Stick around for another couple of thousand posts and you will certainly find more...

I’ve been a registered member in this forum since May, I was a “guest” on this forum for a further 18 months prior. Let’s just say, I know what I’m talking talking about.

[gwynthegriff]

Dec 11, 2017 20:28:21 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Dec 11, 2017 16:04:11 GMT @davidr said:

My God, you are the most priggish person I’ve talked to on here.

Says the man with 46 posts to his name. Stick around for another couple of thousand posts and you will certainly find more...

More people who are the most priggish?

Is that possible?

I suppose they could all be equally priggish ...

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2017 21:29:46 GMT gwynthegriff said:

Dec 11, 2017 20:28:21 GMT @williamhone1780 said:

Says the man with 46 posts to his name. Stick around for another couple of thousand posts and you will certainly find more...

More people who are the most priggish?

Is that possible?

I suppose they could all be equally priggish ...

That is such a "hair-splitter" I am not even going to attempt to answer it

[therealriga]

Dec 11, 2017 20:19:58 GMT Ghyl Tarvoke said:

I have to admit I was unaware that the cause of Brexit was Germany invading Poland but rather, at least according to the Brexiteers, I thought it was more Poles invading England.

"Two world wars and one world cup" has been chanted by English footy fans more often than not. You can dismiss them for whatever reason, but they vote and historical enmity towards Germany and a feeling that they are calling the shots in Europe and "bossing us around" were surely contributory factors to the leave vote.