Where there is Discord - 1975 Labour Leadership Election

[Lumine]

June 1975

The Labour Party chooses a new Prime Minister
in the aftermath of the EEC Referendum

CONTEXT: With the country reeling from a rapidly growing economic crisis, featuring high inflation and rising unemployment, an anti-establishment wave partly led by the Labour left has resulted in Britain choosing to leave the EEC. The aftermath of the vote has seen incumbent Prime Minister Harold Wilson resign in anger - shortly followed by Deputy Leader Ted Short and Foreign Secretary James Callaghan -, signaling the start of a dramatic struggle within the Labour Parliamentary Party. With the anti-marketeers widely seen as having the clear advantage, many expect the party will be decided on the candidate's proposals to deal with the crisis and with their stance on the upcoming EEC withdrawal.

The Leadership Candidates:

Tony Benn: Called "the most dangerous man in Britain" by the pro-market press, Benn is the highly intelligent yet controversial Industry Secretary, and the unofficial leader of the Labour hard-left. A committed anti-marketeer, Benn favors an immediate "hard withdrawal" from the EEC, wanting Britain out by January 1st 1976. Benn is also running on a radical left program, advocating an "alternate economic strategy" of protectionism, import and price control controls, large-scale nationalization, and industrial democracy.

Barbara Castle: Health Secretary and another leading anti-marketeer, the forceful and charismatic Castle is a member of the soft left and is also committed to a "hard withdrawal" by early 1976. A committed feminist, Castle is determined to become Britain's first female Prime Minister, and is standing on an orthodox socialist platform of increased government spending, welfare expansion, and continued support for nationalization. Castle, however, continues to be resisted by many unions over a failed attempt to reduce their powers in the 1960's.

Michael Foot: Employment Secretary and a key member of the soft left, the eloquent and intellectual Foot is the final anti-marketeer candidate, though he favors a longer period of renegotiation despite his support for a "hard withdrawal". Favoring causes such as nuclear disarmament, abolition of the House of Lords, close collaboration from the unions and a consensual economic strategy, Foot is attempting to cast himself as a "unity candidate" to move the party leftwards.

Denis Healey: Abrasive and combative, Healey is the sitting Chancellor of the Exchequer and a moderate pro-marketeer, who nonetheless argues in favor of a rapid and hard withdrawal to honor the referendum mandate. A key figure on the Labour right, Healey favors a strategy of "economic realism" (with monetarist aspects), seeing to increase revenue (through a wealth tax) and reduce spending to combat inflation. Additionally, Healey favors support for nuclear weapons and reforms to expand the welfare state.

Roy Jenkins: Home Secretary and once the Deputy Leader, the cultured Jenkins is the leading pro-marketeer in the Labour Party, and is utterly dismayed at the referendum result. A committed social democratic, Jenkins is running both on a long-term "soft withdrawal" of the EEC and a consensual policy of fiscal responsibility, favoring working with other parties. Jenkins is also known for his commitment to social liberalism, having already fought to liberalize abortion and partly decriminalize homosexuality.

The Deputy Leadership Candidates:

Candidates: Three ministers are in the running for the deputy leadership, each identifying with one side of the debate: John Silkin (Local Government Minister), an experienced left winger and anti-marketeer; Peter Shore (Trade Secretary), a fiery nationalist from the Labour right and anti-marketeer; and Shirley Williams (Prices Secretary), a charismatic social democrat and pro-marketeer.

[Elcaspar]

It seems that one of the poll options for Deputy Leader is wrong. Anyways strong support for Tony Benn and John Silkin from me!

[Lumine]

It seems that one of the poll options for Deputy Leader is wrong. Anyways strong support for Tony Benn and John Silkin from me!

Absolutely right, put Heffer instead of Silkin (it's been corrected)

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I want someone who is hard left on economics but is also pro-marketeer, and I don't care if this does not make sense to y'all.
Since I am crying for the moon I will go for UNITY and choose Michael Foot/Shirley Williams.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Foot/Silkin!

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Foot/Williams

[Former President tack50]

Castle and Silkin. Brexit means brexit after all

[KaiserDave]

Foot/Williams

[GoTfan]

Foot/Williams

[America Needs R'hllor]

Jenkins/Williams.

[Cassius]

Healey/Shore

[Alcibiades]

Jenkins/Williams

Is this leadership election going to have multiple rounds, or will it be first-past-the-post on the first round?

[Elcaspar]

Jenkins/Williams

Is this leadership election going to have multiple rounds, or will it be first-past-the-post on the first round?

Leadership contests always had a second ballot if no one got a majority first, so i would put my guess at the first option.

[Alcibiades]

Jenkins/Williams

Is this leadership election going to have multiple rounds, or will it be first-past-the-post on the first round?

Leadership contests always had a second ballot if no one got a majority first, so i would put my guess at the first option.

I know that that is the case in real life (and hopefully in this TL - it would certainly make it more interesting), I was just wondering if Lumine had the time/effort to do it.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Castle/Shore.

[Wikipedia delenda est]

Foot/Silkin!

[thumb21]

Healey/Shore

[Blair]

Voted Castle/Shore.

If we're going to go down an anti-market route we might as well do it with the best Labour has to offer.

I expect we'll funnily enough see a Foot v Benn run-off which Foot wins; so not actually that unlike the 1980s at all.

[Lumine]

Jenkins/Williams

Is this leadership election going to have multiple rounds, or will it be first-past-the-post on the first round?

Leadership contests always had a second ballot if no one got a majority first, so i would put my guess at the first option.

I know that that is the case in real life (and hopefully in this TL - it would certainly make it more interesting), I was just wondering if Lumine had the time/effort to do it.

There will be a final round with the two strongest candidates (remaining candidates will be assumed to have dropped out).

[Elcaspar]

Jenkins/Williams

Is this leadership election going to have multiple rounds, or will it be first-past-the-post on the first round?

Leadership contests always had a second ballot if no one got a majority first, so i would put my guess at the first option.

I know that that is the case in real life (and hopefully in this TL - it would certainly make it more interesting), I was just wondering if Lumine had the time/effort to do it.

There will be a final round with the two strongest candidates (remaining candidates will be assumed to have dropped out).

Since two of them are tied for second place in first round, who will advance to the second round? Of course if they are still tied by the time the vote ends.

[Lumine]

Jenkins/Williams

Is this leadership election going to have multiple rounds, or will it be first-past-the-post on the first round?

Leadership contests always had a second ballot if no one got a majority first, so i would put my guess at the first option.

I know that that is the case in real life (and hopefully in this TL - it would certainly make it more interesting), I was just wondering if Lumine had the time/effort to do it.

There will be a final round with the two strongest candidates (remaining candidates will be assumed to have dropped out).

Since two of them are tied for second place in first round, who will advance to the second round? Of course if they are still tied by the time the vote ends.

Dice roll.

[Lumine]

First ballot ends with Tony Benn in the lead, will fight Denis Healey in the final ballot.