1972 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 November 1972. In addition to the 12 members elected, the Leader (Harold Wilson), Deputy Leader (Edward Short), 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.

There was a tie for twelfth place, which required a run-off election between Peter Shore and John Silkin. However, Silkin withdrew, leaving Shore to take the final place in the cabinet, without an election. [1]

Peter Shore British politician

Peter David Shore, Baron Shore of Stepney, PC was a British Labour politician and former Cabinet Minister, noted in part for his opposition to the United Kingdom's entry into the European Economic Community. His idiosyncratic left-wing nationalism led to comparison with the French politician Jean-Pierre Chevènement. He was described in an obituary by the Conservative journalist Patrick Cosgrave as "Between Harold Wilson and Tony Blair, the only possible Labour Party leader of whom a Conservative leader had cause to walk in fear" and, along with Enoch Powell, "the most captivating rhetorician of the age".

John Ernest Silkin was a British left-wing Labour politician and solicitor.

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
1=13 Reg Prentice Daventry 154
1=3 Shirley Williams Hitchin 154
38 Anthony Crosland Great Grimsby 148
42 Michael Foot Ebbw Vale 146
54 Jim Callaghan Cardiff South East 142
612 Denis Healey Leeds East 137
75 Willie Ross Kilmarnock 134
86 Fred Peart Workington 128
97 Harold Lever Manchester Cheetham 125
1025 Merlyn Rees Leeds South 107
1110 Tony Benn Bristol South East 106
12=11 Peter Shore Stepney 102
12=14 John Silkin Deptford 102
1417 Cledwyn Hughes Anglesey 91
1516 Eric Heffer Liverpool Walton 84
1615 Barbara Castle Blackburn 78
1726 George Thomas Cardiff West 73
18=19 Dick Mabon Greenock 71
18=20 Roy Mason Barnsley 71
18=18 Bill Rodgers Stockton-on-Tees 71
21N/A Roy Hattersley Birmingham Sparkbrook 68
2224 Stan Orme Salford West 65
2322 Willie Hamilton West Fife 57
24N/A Norman Atkinson Tottenham 54
25N/A Denis Howell Birmingham Small Heath 53
26N/A Brian O'Malley Rotherham 46
27N/A John Mendelson Penistone 45
28N/A Alf Morris Manchester Wythenshawe 42
29N/A Ivor Richard Barons Court 40
30N/A Arthur Palmer Bristol Central 31
31N/A John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon Aberavon 18

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Parliamentary Labour Party". The Political Companion (15): 71–72. Summer 1973.