Deputy Leader of the British Labour Party

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The British Labour Party has always sought to ensure that the power to shape party policy was not consolidated in the hands of the leader. With this in mind the position of Deputy Leader was created. Unlike the Conservative Party, the Labour Leader does not have the power to select their deputy, as the deputy is elected by the party's electoral college. The deputy leader can only be removed by the electoral college or by them resigning of their own accord. The current deputy is John Prescott who has held the position since 1994. In government, the deputy leader becomes Deputy Prime Minister. The position has been critised recently by John Spellar who has argued that the expected election to choose John Prescott's successor will be too costly for a party so heavily in debt.

[edit] Deputy leaders of the Labour Party since 1922

• John Robert Clynes 1922–1931
• Jointly John Robert Clynes 1931–1932 and William Graham 1931–1932 (died in office)
• Clement Attlee 1932–1935
• Arthur Greenwood 1935–1945
• Herbert Morrison 1945–1955
• James Griffiths 1955–1959
• Aneurin Bevan 1959–1960 (died in office)
• George Brown 1960–1970
• Roy Jenkins 1970–1972
• Edward Short 1972–1976
• Michael Foot 1976–1980
• Denis Healey 1980–1983
• Roy Hattersley 1983–1992
• Margaret Beckett 1992–1994
• John Prescott 1994–present.