One

Question

And then there was one: Miliband, Clegg and Farage quit as party leaders (The headline of the article in The Guardian.)The article is an essay about the political landscape shaped by the general election held in the UK on 7 May 2015.What does the pronoun "one" (in the headline) refer to?

Clive · Accepted Answer

There were four party leaders. Three resigned.

The headline means
And then there was one party leader: Miliband, Clegg and Farage quit as party leaders

AlpheccaStars · Answer

It is also a reference to a very famous murder mystery by Agatha Christie.

In the story, house guests are stranded on a remote island house. They find a framed copy of the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians" hanging on the wall, and notice ten figurines on the dining room table..One by one, they die in the same manner as in the rhyme, and the figurines disappear...

Ten Little Indians

Ten little Indian Boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian Boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian Boys travelling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Indian Boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Indian Boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Indian Boys going in for law;
One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Indian Boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Indian Boys walking in the zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two little Indian Boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Indian Boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

Tkacka15 · Answer

CliveThere were four party leaders. Three resigned.The headline meansAnd then there was one party leader: Miliband, Clegg and Farage quit as party leaders

Thank you, Clive, for your reply.

Can I interpret "And then" as "In fact" thus understanding "And then there was one" as "In fact there was one"?

Tkacka15 · Answer

AlpheccaStarsTwo little Indian Boys sitting in the sun;One got frizzled up and then there was one.

Thank you, AS, for the reply. At last, penny dropped. Yes, there must have been that nursery rhyme as an inspiration to that headline.

Clive · Answer

Can I interpret "And then" as "In fact" thus understanding "And then there was one" as "In fact there was one"?\
No. Interpret it as 'after that'.
ie There were 4 leaders. Three quit. After that, there was was one.

Clive

Tkacka15 · Answer

CliveInterpret it as 'after that'.

Thank you, Clive, for the reply.

One

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