Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2007

The 2007 Labour Party deputy leadership election was a British political party election for the position of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. John Prescott, the previous Deputy Leader, announced on 10 May 2007 that he was standing down from that position and that he would be leaving as Deputy Prime Minister about the same time that Tony Blair tendered his resignation as Prime Minister. [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5386428.stm |title=Prescott tells Labour: I'm sorry|work=BBC News Online|date=28 September 2006] Harriet Harman was elected Deputy Leader on 24 June 2007 with 50.43% of the final redistributed vote.

There had been reports that an increasing number of Labour MPs and members of the NEC had been been attempting to get the election for the position of deputy leader abandoned in order to save the £2,000,000 it was estimated that the contest would cost. [cite web| url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2060040.ece|title=Labour may call off deputy leader race|work=The Independent|date=21 June 2007] [cite web| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6165671.stm|title=Axe Labour deputy post, MP says| work=BBC News Online|date=2006-12-10] There would have had to have been a special conference convened if such an alteration was to be made.

uccessfully nominated candidates

* Hilary Benn [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6090384.stm| title=Benn to run for deputy position|work=BBC News Online|date=27 October 2006] [cite web| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6660565.stm | title =Brown on brink of Downing Street | date =2007-05-16 | work =BBC News Online] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6663653.stm | title=Deputy hopefuls make their case |date=2007-05-16 |work=BBC News Online ] — 47 nominations.
* Hazel Blears [cite web|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/deputyleader/story/0,,2019516,00.html|title=Blears to run for Labour deputy and admits party 'disengaged'|work=The Guardian|date=23 February 2007] — 49 nominations.
* Jon Cruddas [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5385636.stm|title=Ex-No 10 aide Cruddas will stand|work=BBC News Online|date=2006-09-27] [cite web|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,1925117,00.html|title=Leftwinger launches deputy leadership campaign|work=The Guardian|date=2006-10-18] — 49 nominations.
* Peter Hain [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5337604.stm|title=Labour deputy race gathers pace|work=BBC News Online|date=2006-09-12] [cite web| url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/deputyleader/story/0,,2076881,00.html | title=Hain and Harman claim places on deputy ballot | date=2007-05-10 | work=The Guardian] — 51 nominations.
* Harriet Harman [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5350360.stm|title=Harman intends Labour deputy bid|work=BBC News Online|date=2006-09-15] — 65 nominations.
* Alan Johnson [cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aFavvAbQK8gc|title=U.K.'s Johnson abandons Labour Party Leadership Race (Update2)|date=2006-11-09|work=Bloomberg L.P.] — 73 nominations.

All six declared candidates secured more than the 45 nominations from MPs that was the minimum requirement for them to get onto the ballot paper by close of nominations at 12:30 UTC+1 on 17 May 2007. [cite web| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKL1464496220070515 | title=McDonnell short for leadership race | date=2007-05-15 | work=Reuters ] [cite web| url=http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/nominations_close_-_1230_thursday_17_may | title=Labour leadership, close of nominations | date=2007-05-17 | work=Labour Party website ]

Results

The election took place using Alternative Vote in an electoral college, with a third of the votes allocated to MPs and MEPs, a third to individual members of the Labour Party, and a third to individual members of affiliated organisations, mainly trade unions. So in the tables below, each of the first three columns adds up to 33.33%.

Harriet Harman won the contest, her victory heavily depending on support from individual party members with preference votes narrowing her opponent's lead and she only led in the final round. [cite web| url=http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/deputy_leader_election_results | title=Labour Party Deputy Leadership results| date=2007-06-24 | work=Labour Party] The final total percentage votes for the two main candidates after redistribution were almost identical to those of the final round of the 1981 contest.

Round 1

Hilary Benn finished in 4th place and was eliminated in the third round of voting.

Round 4

Jon Cruddas finished in 3rd place and was eliminated in the fourth round of voting.

Round 5

Harriet Harman elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

uggested candidates not standing

Jeremy Corbyn announced in December 2006 he was considering running for the Deputy Leadership. However, there was no subsequent statement from him on it and he nominated Hilary Benn for the Deputy Leadership. [cite web| url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,1976094,00.html|title=Meacher set to challenge Brown from left|work=The Guardian| date=20 December 2006] No other eligible person — i.e. Labour MP — announced they were considering standing for the position except for the six nominated candidates and Jeremy Corbyn.

There was some speculation about Ed Balls, Patricia Hewitt [Patricia Hewitt backed Harriet Harman, in response to a question from John Pienaar on BBC Radio Five Live's "The Weekend News" on 9 December 2006] , David Miliband [cite web| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4977730.stm|title=Profile: David Miliband|work=BBC News Online|date=14 September 2006 ] and Jack Straw standing for the position, but no sign that they had ever said they were inclined to run and all had ruled themselves out before nominations opened.

Timeline of events

Candidate spending

The amount of donations made to each candidate for their campaigns [cite news|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/funding/story/0,,2238277,00.html|title= Hain failed to declare £100,000 of donations|author=Patrick Wintour and David Hencke|date=10 January 2008|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=2007-01-10] were:

* Hilary Benn — £4,000
* Hazel Blears — £73,000
* Jon Cruddas — £143,000
* Peter Hain — £180,000-£200,000
* Harriet Harman — £46,000, plus £50,000 of her own loans
* Alan Johnson — £54,000

ee also

* Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2007

References and notes