1996 Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election

Last updated

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place in July 1996. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 19 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader (Tony Blair and John Prescott, respectively) were members by virtue of those offices. The 19 elected members of the Shadow Cabinet were the ones with the largest number of votes. MPs were required to vote for at least four women, but women were not necessarily guaranteed places in the Shadow Cabinet.

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.

In UK politics, the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) is the parliamentary party of the Labour Party in Parliament: Labour MPs as a collective body. Commentators on the British Constitution sometimes draw a distinction between the Labour Party and the Conservative and Liberal parties. The term Parliamentary Labour Party refers to the party in Parliament, whereas the term Labour Party refers to the entire Labour Party, the parliamentary element of which is the PLP.

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.

Colour
key
Retained in the Shadow Cabinet
Joined the Shadow Cabinet
Voted out of the Shadow Cabinet
Rank
Candidate
Constituency
Votes
1 Margaret Beckett Derby South 251
2 Ann Taylor Dewsbury 250
3 Clare Short Birmingham Ladywood 218
4 Gavin Strang Edinburgh East 217
5 Robin Cook Livingston 215
6 Donald Dewar Glasgow Garscadden 212
7 Frank Dobson Holborn and St Pancras 211
8 Mo Mowlam Redcar 206
9† David Clark South Shields 205
9† Michael Meacher Oldham West 205
11 Ron Davies Caerphilly 201
12 Jack Cunningham Copeland 190
13 Jack Straw Blackburn 189
14† Gordon Brown Dunfermline East 188
14† Chris Smith Islington South and Finsbury 148
16 George Robertson Hamilton 182
17† David Blunkett Sheffield Brightside 175
17† Tom Clarke Monklands West 175
19 Harriet Harman Peckham 149
20 Ann Clwyd Cynon Valley 94
21† Lynne Jones Birmingham Selly Oak 66
21† Chris Mullin Sunderland South 66
23 Paul Flynn Newport West 61
24 Tony Banks Newham North West 47
25 Dennis Canavan Falkirk West 42
26 Jeremy Corbyn Islington North 37

† Multiple candidates tied for position.

Related Research Articles

Harriet Harman Former Deputy Leader of the British Labour Party

Harriet Ruth Harman is a British solicitor and Labour Party politician who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1982, first for Peckham, and then for its successor constituency of Camberwell and Peckham since 1997. She has served in various Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet positions and, in her role as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, she has served as the acting Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition twice: from May to September 2010 and from May to September 2015.

Angela Eagle British politician; Labour MP for Wallasey

Angela Eagle is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wallasey since the 1992 general election. Eagle was born in Yorkshire and studied PPE at the University of Oxford, before working for the CBI and then a trade union.

Maria Eagle British Labour politician

Maria Eagle is a British Labour Party politician, Member of Parliament for Garston and Halewood and former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

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.

Kate Green British politician

Katherine Anne Green is a Labour Party politician who was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stretford and Urmston in 2010.

The Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) elected 19 members of the Shadow Cabinet from among their number in 2010. This follows the Labour Party's defeat in the 2010 general election, after which the party formed the Official Opposition in the United Kingdom.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place in July 1992. Shadow Cabinet elections generally take place at the beginning of a parliamentary session, but the 1992 vote was postponed until a new leader was elected to replace Neil Kinnock. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 18 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Commons members of the PLP separately elected the Chief Whip, and the Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader were members by virtue of those offices. The 18 elected members of the Shadow Cabinet were the ones with the largest number of votes, except that the three women with the most votes would be included in the 18, even if they weren't among the top 18 based on the number of votes.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place in October 1993, at the beginning of the 1993/4 session of parliament. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 18 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Commons members of the PLP separately elected the Chief Whip, and the Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader were members by virtue of those offices. The 18 elected members of the Shadow Cabinet were the ones with the largest number of votes. Beginning with this election, MPs were required to vote for at least four women, but women were no longer guaranteed three places in the Shadow Cabinet.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place in October 1994, at the beginning of the 1994/5 session of parliament. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 18 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Commons members of the PLP separately elected the Chief Whip, and the Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader were members by virtue of those offices. The 18 elected members of the Shadow Cabinet were the ones with the largest number of votes. MPs were required to vote for at least four women, but women were not necessarily guaranteed places in the Shadow Cabinet.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place in October 1995, at the beginning of the 1995/6 session of parliament. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 19 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader were members by virtue of those offices. With this election, for the first time, the role Opposition Chief Whip was simply another portfolio to be handed out rather than an office separately elected by the PLP. The 19 elected members of the Shadow Cabinet were the ones with the largest number of votes. MPs were required to vote for at least four women, but women were not necessarily guaranteed places in the Shadow Cabinet.

Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband

Ed Miliband became Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition upon being elected to the former post on 25 September 2010. The election was triggered by Gordon Brown's resignation following the party's fall from power at the 2010 general election, which yielded a Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition. Miliband appointed his first Shadow Cabinet in October 2010, following the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet elections. These elections were the last such elections before they were abolished in 2011.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place on 4 December 1980, having been delayed due to the October election of new Party Leader Michael Foot. In addition to the 12 members elected, the Leader (Foot), Deputy Leader, Labour Chief Whip, Labour Leader in the House of Lords, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party were automatically members.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place on 19 November 1981. There were 15 posts, rather than 12 as in previous years. In addition to the 15 members elected, the Leader, Deputy Leader, Labour Chief Whip, Labour Leader in the House of Lords, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party were automatically members.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place on 18 November 1982. In addition to the 15 members elected, the Leader, Deputy Leader, Labour Chief Whip, Labour Leader in the House of Lords, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party were automatically members.

Kate Hollern British politician

Catherine Malloy Hollern is a British Labour Party politician. She was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Blackburn in 2015. In January 2016, Hollern was appointed Shadow Minister for Reserves, following the reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet, and resignation of Kevan Jones. Following another Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, she was made Shadow Minister for Local Government.

Jeremy Corbyn assumed the position of Leader of the Opposition after being elected as Leader of the Labour Party on 12 September 2015; the election was triggered by Ed Miliband's resignation following the Labour Party's electoral defeat at the 2015 general election when David Cameron formed a majority Conservative government.

2016 Labour Party leadership election (UK)

The 2016 Labour Party leadership election was called when a challenge to Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of the Labour Party arose following criticism of his approach to the Remain campaign in the referendum on membership of the European Union and questions about his leadership of the party.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place on 24 October 1990. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 18 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Commons members of the PLP separately elected the Chief Whip, and the Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader were members by virtue of those offices.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet took place on 23 October 1991. Under the rules then in effect, the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party elected 18 members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, who were then assigned portfolios by the leader. The Commons members of the PLP separately elected the Chief Whip, and the Labour peers elected the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. In addition, the Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Leader were members by virtue of those offices.

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet occurred in November 1989. For these elections the Shadow Cabinet was expanded from 15 to 18 seats and, for the first time, MPs had to cast at least three votes for women.

References