Where there is Discord - 1981 Labour Leadership Election (Final Ballot)

[Lumine]

January 1981

A shaken Labour Party seeks new leadership
after a historic election disaster

First Ballot, Leader:

Eric Heffer: 38.1%

Roy Hattersley: 38.1%

Denzil Davies: 23.8%

First Ballot, Deputy Leader:

Giles Radice: 38.1%

Norman Atkinson: 33.6%

Gerald Kaufman: 28.6%

CONTEXT: The first ballot - held under an electoral college including local parties, trade unions and MP's - resulted in a defeat for the soft left and the more moderate elements of the Labour right, resulting in the elimination of both Davies and Kaufman. As a result, the official ticket of Heffer/Atkinson and the unofficial ticket of Hattersley and Radice will battle in a straight contest between the currently dominant Bennite hard-left and the challengers from the modernizing Labour right.

Thus, the final leadership round is set between Eric Heffer (Hard Left, Bennite, Eurosceptic) and  Roy Hattersley (Labour Right, Keynesian, modernizer). In the deputy leadership, Norman Atkinson (also Hard left, Bennite, Eurosceptic) will battle Giles Radice (Labour right, social democrat, modernizer).

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Heffer/Atkinson again.

[S019]

Hattersley/Radice, the Bennites have been a disaster for the party, and change is desperately needed

[Battista Minola 1616]

But what problem do people have with the Labour centre again?

Anyway, I suppose I'll take Eric Heffer/Norman Atkinson.

[Continential]

Hattersley/Radice, the Bennites have been a disaster for the party, and change is desperately needed

The Bennites stayed with the party, we should have loyal people in charge, not people who would defect if Labour does bad.

[Lumine]

Four hours left, Hattersley and Atkinson in the lead.

[thumb21]

Hattersley/Radice