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 Sunny Jim: How Callaghan won the ‘Heavyweight’ Labour Contest of the 70s
Labour Leadership Contests
Bloodied Brothers: The Milibands and the Battle for New Labour’s Legacy
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, Peter … Continue reading Bloodied Brothers: The Milibands and the Battle for New Labour’s Legacy
Kinnock v Benn: Labour’s Final Battle of the 1980s
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 Kinnock v Benn: Labour’s Final Battle of the 1980s
British General Election 1992: Must Labour Lose?
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 British General Election 1992: Must Labour Lose?
Tides of History 