Talk:Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1980

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[edit] Timing, electoral college and the future SDP

I'm not 100% sure but hadn't the votes to create the electoral college already happened? I seem to recall reading that Callaghan was opposed to the college, believing (like others) that it would etrench left-wing leaders, and called the election before the constitutional changes took effect so that MPs would elect his successor.

Also didn't some of the future SDP MPs famously vote for Foot so as to make their breach with the party easier? The prospect of a breakaway had been raised by commentators since at least 1974. Timrollpickering 16:47, 5 May 2007 (UTC)