1971 Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election

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Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet (more formally, its "Parliamentary Committee") occurred in December 1971. In addition to the 12 members elected, the Leader (Harold Wilson), Deputy Leader (Roy Jenkins), Labour Chief Whip (Bob Mellish), Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party (Douglas Houghton), Labour Leader in the House of Lords (Baron Shackleton), and Labour Chief Whip in the Lords (Baron Beswick) were automatically members. The Labour Lords elected one further member, Baron Champion. [1]

The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The party's platform emphasises greater state intervention, social justice and strengthening workers' rights.

Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom) Opposition cabinet of the United Kingdom

The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet is, in British parliamentary practice, senior members of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition who scrutinise their corresponding Government ministers, develop alternative policies, and hold the Government to account for its actions and responses. Since May 2010, the Labour Party has been Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, and its leadership therefore forms the current Shadow Cabinet.

Leader of the Labour Party (UK) Most senior politician within the Labour Party in the United Kingdom

The Leader of the Labour Party is the most senior political figure within the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. Since 12 September 2015, the office has been held by Jeremy Corbyn, who has represented the constituency of Islington North since 1983.

Lever and Thomson both resigned in April 1972, and were replaced by Prentice and Silkin, the first two unsuccessful candidates. Jenkins resigned as deputy leader in the same month, and was replaced by Edward Short. This created an additional vacancy, and because the next two unsuccessful candidates had tied on votes, a run-off election was held to decide who would join the shadow cabinet. On 3 May, Barbara Castle defeated Eric Heffer by 111 votes to 89, to take the position. [1]

Barbara Castle British politician

Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn, PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Blackburn from 1945 to 1979, making her the longest-serving female MP in the history of the House of Commons until that record was broken in 2007 by Gwyneth Dunwoody. She later became the Member of the European Parliament for Greater Manchester from 1979 to 1989 and subsequently a member of the House of Lords, having been granted a life peerage in 1990.

Eric Samuel Heffer was a British socialist politician. He was Labour Member of Parliament for Liverpool Walton from 1964 until his death. His working-class background and consciousness fostered his left-wing politics. With 12,000 books in his home, he also admitted to being a bibliophile. Due to his experience as a professional joiner, he made a speciality of the construction industry and its employment practices, but was also concerned with trade union issues in general. He changed his view on the European Common Market from being an outspoken supporter to an outspoken opponent, and served a brief period in government in the mid-1970s. His later career was dominated by his contribution to debates within the Labour Party and he defended the Liverpool City Council.

The 12 winners of the election are listed below: [1]

Colour
key		Retained in the Shadow Cabinet
Joined the Shadow Cabinet
Voted out of the Shadow Cabinet
Rank
Prior
rank
Candidate
Constituency
Votes
19 Edward Short Newcastle upon Tyne Central 145
26 Michael Foot Ebbw Vale 144
37 Shirley Williams Hitchin 137
41 Jim Callaghan Cardiff South East 134
513 Willie Ross Kilmarnock 133
610 Fred Peart Workington 130
78 Harold Lever Manchester Cheetham 129
83 Anthony Crosland Great Grimsby 128
911 George Thomson Dundee East 126
105 Tony Benn Bristol South East 122
1131 Peter Shore Stepney 105
122 Denis Healey Leeds East 104
1315 Reg Prentice Daventry 95
1422 John Silkin Deptford 94
15=12 Barbara Castle Blackburn 91
15=14 Eric Heffer Liverpool Walton 91
1720 Cledwyn Hughes Anglesey 81
1829 Bill Rodgers Stockton-on-Tees 80
1933 Dick Mabon Greenock 79
2024 Roy Mason Barnsley 78
2123 Douglas Jay Battersea North 72
2221 Willie Hamilton West Fife 64
2319 Ian Mikardo Poplar 63
2432 Stan Orme Salford West 56
2526 Merlyn Rees Leeds South 54
2628 George Thomas Cardiff West 51
2725 Joan Lestor Eton and Slough 42
28N/A Raymond Fletcher Ilkeston 37
2945 Judith Hart Lanark 19
30N/A Reginald Freeson Willesden East 17
31N/A William Hamling Woolwich West 16
3248 William Molloy Ealing North 7
3351 John Stonehouse Wednesbury 6

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Parliamentary Labour Party". The Political Companion (11): 68–69. April–June 1972.CS1 maint: Date format (link)
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