Leader of the Labour Party (UK)

The Leader of the Labour Party is the most senior politician within the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. Since 25 September 2010, the office has been held by Ed Miliband, following the resignation of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Harriet Harman is currently the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

Background

The post of Leader of the Labour Party was officially created in 1922. Before this time, between when Labour MPs were first elected in 1906 and the election in 1922, when substantial gains were made, the post was known as Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party.^[1]

Unlike other British political party leaders, the Labour Leader does not have the power to dismiss or appoint their Deputy. Both the Leader and Deputy Leader are elected by an Alternative Vote system in an electoral college, with a third of the votes allocated to the Party's MPs and MEPs, a third to individual members of the Labour Party, and a third to individual members of all affiliated organisations, including socialist societies and trade unions.

When the Labour Party is in Opposition, as it currently is, the Leader of the Labour Party usually acts as the Leader of the Opposition, and chairs the Shadow Cabinet. Concordantly, when the Party is in Government, the Leader would usually become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service, as well as appointing the Cabinet.

In 1921, John Robert Clynes became the first Leader of the Labour Party to be born in England; prior to this, all Leaders had been born in Scotland. In 1924, Ramsay MacDonald became the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority administration. Clement Attlee would become the first Leader to lead a majority government in 1945. The first to be born in Wales was Neil Kinnock, who was elected in 1983. The most electorally successful Labour Leader to date is Tony Blair, who won three in 1997, 2001, both landslide victories, and 2005.

List of Leaders of the Labour Party

^† Although these were technically leaders of the Labour Party, they only assumed this role because of the death or resignation of the incumbent and were not elected to the post. They were in effect acting temporary leaders. Margaret Beckett was deputy leader when leader John Smith suddenly and unexpectedly died, Beckett automatically became leader as a result of his death. Similarly George Brown became leader after the death of Hugh Gaitskell, Brown too had been deputy leader at the time of Gaitskell's death. Harriet Harman was deputy leader when Gordon Brown resigned the leadership in the wake of his May 2010 election defeat, she too became leader automatically and remained leader while the Labour Party went through the process of electing a new leader.^[2]

List of Leaders of the Labour Party in the House of Lords

Retirement

It is not uncommon for a retired Leader of the Labour Party to be granted a peerage upon their retirement, particularly if they served as Prime Minister; examples of this include Clement Attlee and Harold Wilson. However, Neil Kinnock was also elevated to the House of Lords, despite never being Prime Minister, and Michael Foot declined a similar offer.

There are currently five living former Leaders of the Labour Party (with the period they were in office):

• The Rt Hon The Lord Kinnock (1983–1992)
• The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP (1994)
• The Rt Hon Tony Blair (1994–2007)
• The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP (2007–2010)
• The Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP (2010)

See also

• History of the British Labour Party

References