Chapter Sixteen
Five days flew by and Ana now was facing the official announcement of her candidacy for Labour Leader. She would also find out who she was running against and hopefully, someone she'd hope would win. Christian found her sitting on the floor of the walk-in wardrobe in her bra and knickers looking thoughtfully at the rails of her clothes. Her bottom lip was between her teeth and a frown marred her face. It was obvious to anyone who looked at her that she was stressed. Though Christian was the only one who understood it wasn't just because she didn't know what to wear.
Christian went over to the clothes and picked out a dress. He placed it on the chair in the corner of the room before going to the chest of drawers that was against the other wall. Ana watched him move, an eyebrow cocked. He was so comfortable picking clothes for her, it was something he enjoyed doing and Ana would have proudly told anyone who listened he knew her style and knew what suited her. He often shopped with her and did most of the choosing. He placed a pair of black sheer tights with the dress on the chair and off the top shelf where her shoes were he chose a pair of heeled boots. Ana looked at the outfit, yes it was something she liked and yes it suited her. However, was it suitable for the announcement of her candidacy and was it suitable to go in front of the media?
"Red is a powerful colour." Christian said explaining his choice as Ana started pulling on the tights. "The style of dress however is soft." He continued. "And it looks amazing on you." He winked making Ana giggle, she was glad he'd chosen for her because she didn't have a clue what to wear.
The dress was one of her favourites. She'd bought it for conference and had looked amazing in it when she had worn it. Though she hadn't paired it with tights and boots that time. It was a comfy dress, made out of a very stretchy fabric that meant she could just pull it over her head. It had a high neckline, only just allowing her day collar to be visible. It had long bell sleeves with two little gold buttons on the cuff, for looks only as they didn't come undone, the skirt had a flippy hem which meant it was loose without being too loose like a skater dress which would have been a bit more immature.
Once her boots were on she turned to Christian who smiled and turned her around. Ana relaxed as she realised he was pulling her hair out of the tight bun she'd put it in, allowing it to fall in loose waves around her shoulders.
"Perfect." He breathed before kissing her neck making her squirm, God she loved it when he gave her this kind of attention. "You're going to do amazing."
"I don't want this Christian." Ana sighed as he turned her back to face him, her eyes were filled with her sadness and he kissed between her brows to try and send it away.
"You would be an amazing leader." Christian said, wishing she could have the same faith in herself as he had in her. "Imagine all the good you could do, how many people you could help and make a difference to."
"A leader is more the face and voice, I wouldn't get to make all the decisions myself." Ana replied dryly, that was the problem, the decisions would all be made by the team of advisors she'd have if she won, not by her own mind. The thought of other people dictating to her what she should and shouldn't do caused chills to run down her spine.
"Maybe you can change that." Christian suggested, but Ana just frowned more, she didn't see how she could make any difference to that right now. And anyway, her mind was going to be on the campaign and she'd cross the other bridge if she got it. The bottom line was she could lose the contest and then she'd have nothing to worry about.
Taylor drove Ana and Kate to Portcullis House, the announcement was being made behind closed doors but then the first people out of the conference room would be straight over to the media to release the names. Most names had already been leaked as possible candidates, Ana's had obviously been the first and the media reaction had been mostly positive though most commentators had made remarks as to her age.
"So, we will need to choose a date to officially launch your campaign." Kate said as she sat with her iPad on her lap hard at work, while Ana just played with her hands awkwardly in her lap.
"Well, I guess the sooner the better." Ana sighed, she hated this, she didn't want to do it.
"Well, I'm going to spend the weekend trying to get a team together so how about Monday evening?"
"Sure." Ana shrugged. "Don't forget we've got the memorial for the bombing coming up and I've been asked to be a part of the BBC documentary."
"No problem, they'll help with your exposure anyway."
"No Kate." Ana said firmly. "We cannot link the bombing and the leadership contest, please it would be distasteful."
"Ok." Kate nodded, though it would actually be impossible not to link them as they would be happening at the same time.
When Ana and Kate arrived at Portcullis House they made their way straight for the conference room. Kate wouldn't be allowed in but like most of the aides of those likely to be candidates they would be hanging outside the door to parade their MP in front of the media afterwards.
"Good luck!" Kate said as Ana went through the door, into the crowded conference room, ready to seal her fate.
The conference room was alive with everyone chatting away. Ana didn't know what to do with herself because she already knew she had the required votes to be a candidate. The big question was who would be running against her.
"Ana!" Emma smiled waving her over. Ana made her way through the crowd, relieved someone had seen her and put her out of her misery of being like a lost child. "You excited?"
"I don't know." Ana shrugged. "I guess, I mean it's not what I had planned."
"Oh Ana, you'll be an amazing leader!" Emma said giving her shoulder a friendly squeeze. "Why do you think I ran around Monday morning getting the signatures?"
"I don't know." Ana shrugged. "I guess I feel like it's been done out of sympathy."
Emma's eyes almost fell out of her head. She scoffed making Ana frown, what else was she supposed to think, she'd not been anyone's idea of a leader before the bombing, so it was a natural conclusion to her that she'd been chosen out of sympathy.
"There is no such thing as sympathy in politics." Emma stated firmly. "No one here is thinking of you when they signed their name on that piece of paper." Ana was so confused. "Listen, Ana, everyone here is looking out for themselves. Electing you as a leadership candidate had been done because we know you have the public's support. If you get the party membership behind you to get in as Leader. We're surefire to win the General Election next year because you've already united the county after Islington. Elena Lincoln has shot any chance she has of winning support because of the way she has handled it. Who better than to remind the public constantly of that than the person the country fell in love with because of her strength, drive and determination? You were there when those bombs went off, took control of the situation, saved people's lives by your response and actions while Elena Lincoln behaves as though none of it ever happened. Ana, you've been nominated because everyone wants to keep their job next May, they're all selfishly thinking of themselves. You've been chosen because with you as Leader we will get a Labour Government."
"But that means…" Ana bit her lip, she knew what it meant, and she didn't know what to think about it.
"That next May you will be our Prime Minister."
Ana put her head in her hands, being Leader of the Opposition had been a hard-enough prospect to face. But to hear Emma, the Deputy Leader and a veteran MP tell her that she had been chosen because they believed she would be the person to lead them to a General Election win was something she didn't want to believe or imagine. Being Prime Minister before she was even thirty was never a part of anyone's plan for her. Yes, John and Doug had told her that Leadership was an option for her future, that if she was unable to save the Chesham and Amersham seat they would get her another seat when one became available in a Labour safe seat so she could at least get her job back and build her way up in Parliament. Leadership was something that was ten or twenty years down the line, after there had been a Labour Government to learn from. This was all too fast, too soon. Her head was spinning.
"Ok listen up everyone!" The Chief Whip shouted bringing everyone's attention to him. Ana sighed sadly, knowing this was where things really changed for her. Knowing what Emma had just said, that she had been chosen for selfish reasons, she knew she would have to think of all those people who had voted for her and make sure she ran the best leadership contest she could, even if that meant getting a job she really didn't want.
"Our leadership candidates, having secured the necessary 35 signatures each. Ana Steele, Chesham and Amersham."
Ana took the signal from the Chief Whip and nudged her way through the crowd to stand upfront. She gave a nervous wave to everyone as they applauded her. Now, the question was who she was running against.
"James Weatherford Liverpool Walton." Ana clapped along with everyone else as the sixty-year-old veteran MP James made his way through the crowd to join her at the front. He gave her a smirk as he shook her hand and puffed up his very big chest. His smirk was very confident, and it told Ana he planned on taking her down during this contest, she gave him a nervous and polite smile in return.
"Sara Cooper Blaenau Gwent." Ana again clapped along with everyone else as an older female made her way through the crowd. Sara had years on Ana, her hair was grey, the fine lines on her skin showed the years she'd lived. Again, she shook Ana's hand but she had a much kinder smile on her face than James had.
"These are the only three candidates to have secured the required number of votes. I will email you all a full breakdown of the result next week for scrutiny. Thank you everyone for coming and let this be a fun and clean leadership contest. Good luck to all our candidates."
The Chief Whip made his way out of the conference room leaving Ana, Sara and James to be congratulated by members of the party and shake their hands. The next step was to go and face the media and officially announce to them that they were running in the contest.
Ana was the first to make it out, having been congratulated by so many on Monday when it was announced she already had the required number of signatures. Kate was beaming when Ana joined her, she was so excited about her friend's progression and had faith in what Ana was capable of doing, even if Ana didn't have the same faith in herself.
"Ok so just keep it short and sweet." Kate said giving Ana the iPad to read over. "Remember we haven't figured out exactly what you're going to stand for yet so just talk about uniting everyone."
Ana scanned down the bullet points Kate had made, there were loads there yet Kate wanted her to keep it brief? They arrived outside the room where the press had been told to wait. Ana took a deep breath, this was going to be crazy. Kate gave her a small nod before opening the door and she walked in to shouts and camera's flashing. A sign of how crazy this whole contest was going to be.
"Good afternoon everyone." Ana smiled. "I can officially announce that I will be running in the Labour leadership contest. I believe that we need to stand united, everyone, from all backgrounds to make our country a success. We have had ten years of Conservative austerity with the working poor suffering the most. No longer should we stand back and be a part of a country that sees the most vulnerable shouldering most of the burden. No, instead I call upon the people of this country, to realise that together we can succeed. We have to stand up against hatred and against inequality. Doesn't matter who you are, what your background is, what race or religion you are. You are a part of this country and you matter and you deserve to feel like you matter. I want to make sure that you feel as though you matter. Thank you. I'd also like to wish all the best of luck to my competitors. Thank you."
"Ana do you think you're too young to be leader and possibly the future Prime Minister?"
"No." Ana chuckled lightly, this was a question she had expected. "Age is just a number and I think young people are so grossly underestimated. A young person brings a new perspective, fresh ideas. I am not a person who has been chewed up by the Westminster machine yet, I'm not tired or downtrodden. Being young, that's to my advantage over my competitors because I am not going to be spitting out the same old dogma, I'm not going to be saying one thing while doing another and I'm not going to let the political machine of Leadership dictate and control me the way a more senior politician would simply because that's how it's always been. No I don't think I'm too young, I think I'm just young enough. I'm fortunate to be both young and experienced having had an early start in politics. I've been in Government, I've held a cabinet portfolio so I know what the demands of this job are without having become exhausted by years of being sat on the backbenches." Ana smiled, she was pretty pleased with her answer. Her age has been something that had been on her mind and so she'd had plenty of time to think a well thought out answer.
"Ana do you think the bombing at Islington will garner you more support out of sympathy?"
"I would hope not." Ana replied. "The Labour membership need to really consider what each of the candidates stand for, what they believe in and what they plan to do if they become leader and hopefully the next Prime Minister of this country. There is no sympathy in politics, I most certainly am not standing here as a candidate because the Parliamentary Party felt sorry for me. No, in fact, they've put me to stand here because they believe in me, and they believe that I can be the person to lead them into Government." Ana reiterated what Emma Phillips had said because she didn't have another answer, she knew the bombing would be in people's minds, but she hoped people would think about how she took control of the situation, how she responded under pressure and not simply tick her name because they felt sorry for her being caught up in it.
"No more questions thank you." Kate said interrupting someone who had started asking one. "End on a high." She whispered to Ana as she took her by the arm and led her away, allowing the next candidate to take her place. "You did awesome."
"Thanks. Now let's go home shall we." Ana said, knowing that she needed to be well-rested this weekend to be ready for a proper launch on Monday.