The Labour contest was the first to be fought in thirteen years following the resignation of Harold Wilson. Wilson had given Callaghan a heads up in the days before telling him he ‘should begin to make preparations for the inevitable contest’ The bookmakers priced it as follows: James Callaghan 4/5 Denis Healey 7/4 Tony Crosland... Continue Reading →
In the aftermath of election defeat, David Miliband emerged as the clear front-runner. Bookmakers priced DM at 4/7, Alastair Darling 8/1, Alan Johnson 10/1, Ed Miliband 11/1, Ed Balls 12/1. Andy Burnham 14/1, 16/1 Jon Cruddas, 25/1 James Purnell, 33/1 Liam Byrne, 40/1 John Denham, 50/1 Yvette Cooper Reflecting on thirteen years In office,... Continue Reading →
In 1988, Tony Benn challenged Neil Kinnock for the leadership of the Labour Party. The story of the campaign often overlooked by historians. -------------------- Rumours began in January 1988 that Kinnock would face a challenge from the left of the party. Tony Benn claimed Kinnock was ‘increasingly intolerant’ and ‘authoritarian’ in his manner and ‘gave a... Continue Reading →
Contested between Wilson, George Brown and James Callaghan in the wake of Hugh Gaitskell’s death, it was seen as a fight to select the next Prime Minister A thread re-visiting the contest --------------------------- On the 18thJanuary 1963, Hugh Gaitskell died of lupus disease - a rare and fatal condition. Aged just 56, Gaitskell had... Continue Reading →
Below is a thread on the 1994 Labour Leadership Contest. Looking back through the archives it is remarkable how the divide between the Bennites (then Corbyn, Abbott, Milne) and the Blairites was as clear and as similar then as it is today. The left viewed Blair with deep suspicion and claimed the country was more left-wing... Continue Reading →
By Popular Demand: A thread on the Labour Party's response to the 1992 General Election – The last time it lost four times in a row The prominent question dominating Labour thinking was ‘If not now, when? If we cannot win in a recession, when can we?’. Labour held a huge poll lead towards the... Continue Reading →
TIDES OF HISTORY 