1994 Labour Party leadership election
The 1994 Labour Party leadership election was held on 21 July 1994 after the sudden death of the incumbent leader, John Smith, on 12 May. Tony Blair won the leadership and became Prime Minister after winning the 1997 general election.
The election was the first held under the new leadership election rules that had been introduced in 1993, which included an element of one member, one vote. The poll for leader was held simultaneously with a deputy leadership vote.
Candidates
had been the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and following Smith's death was serving as acting leader; she was the first female Labour MP ever to stand for the leadership of the party. Tony Blair was, at the time of his candidature, the Shadow Home Secretary.It has been widely speculated that Shadow Chancellor Gordon Brown did not stand due to a pact agreed with Blair at the Granita Restaurant in Islington, North London. Shortly after John Smith's death, Roy Hattersley telephoned Blair and urged him to stand for the Party leadership. Blair informed Hattersley that he was worried about "hurting Gordon" to which Hattersley replied that he should tell Gordon Brown that there had been "a lot of people in the past who had wanted to be leader of the Labour Party and have come to terms with the fact that they weren't going to be" and that Brown would have to be part of a line that "goes back a very long way".
However, in a MORI poll conducted shortly after Smith's death among all Labour supporters, Mr Blair took 32 per cent, Mr Prescott 21 per cent, Mrs Beckett and Mr Brown 12 per cent each, and Mr Cook 7 per cent, suggesting that Brown didn't have much chance of winning anyway.
Robin Cook, the Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry stated that he would not run, as he did not believe he was attractive enough to the general electorate and that this would damage the party at the next election. John Prescott, who had stood at the 1992 deputy leadership election and lost to Beckett, stood again for both leader and deputy leader.
The "electoral college" system that had been introduced meant that the votes of members of affiliated groups, the members of constituency parties, and Labour MPs were all weighted equally.
- Margaret Beckett, incumbent Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Member of Parliament for Derby South
- Tony Blair, Shadow Home Secretary, Member of Parliament for Sedgefield
- John Prescott, Shadow Secretary of State for Employment, Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull East
Result
Tony Blair won, and led the party to its first general election victory for twenty-three years at the 1997 Election. Prescott won the deputy leadership poll, and went on to become Deputy Prime Minister during Blair's premiership. Beckett would also serve both in the Shadow Cabinet and then the Cabinet throughout Blair's term as leader, eventually becoming the last of the three Foreign Secretaries of the Blair ministries.
The next leadership election to take place occurred when Blair resigned in June 2007; this election was won by Gordon Brown, who ran uncontested.
How each MP voted
| MP | Leader vote | Deputy Leader vote |
| Diane Abbott | Beckett | Beckett |
| Irene Adams | Prescott | Prescott |
| Nick Ainger | Blair | Prescott |
| Bob Ainsworth | Blair | Prescott |
| Graham Allen | Blair | Beckett |
| Donald Anderson | Blair | Beckett |
| Janet Anderson | Blair | Prescott |
| Hilary Armstrong | Blair | Beckett |
| Joe Ashton | Blair | Prescott |
| John Austin-Walker | Beckett | Beckett |
| Tony Banks | Beckett | Beckett |
| Harry Barnes | Beckett | Beckett |
| Kevin Barron | Blair | Prescott |
| John Battle | Beckett | Beckett |
| Hugh Bayley | Blair | Prescott |
| Margaret Beckett | Beckett | Beckett |
| Stuart Bell | Blair | Beckett |
| Tony Benn | Prescott | Beckett |
| Andrew Bennett | Prescott | Prescott |
| Joe Benton | Blair | Prescott |
| Gerry Bermingham | Blair | Prescott |
| Roger Berry | Prescott | Beckett |
| Clive Betts | Blair | Beckett |
| Tony Blair | Blair | - |
| David Blunkett | Blair | Prescott |
| Paul Boateng | Blair | Beckett |
| Roland Boyes | Beckett | Beckett |
| Keith Bradley | Blair | Prescott |
| Jeremy Bray | Blair | Prescott |
| Gordon Brown | Blair | Beckett |
| Nick Brown | Beckett | Beckett |
| Richard Burden | Blair | Prescott |
| Stephen Byers | Blair | Beckett |
| Richard Caborn | Prescott | Prescott |
| Jim Callaghan | Blair | Prescott |
| Anne Campbell | Blair | Beckett |
| Ronnie Campbell | Prescott | Beckett |
| Dale Campbell-Savours | Blair | Beckett |
| Dennis Canavan | Beckett | Beckett |
| Jamie Cann | Blair | Prescott |
| Malcolm Chisholm | Beckett | Beckett |
| Judith Church | Blair | Beckett |
| Michael Clapham | Prescott | Beckett |
| David Clark | Blair | Beckett |
| Eric Clarke | Prescott | Prescott |
| Tom Clarke | Blair | Beckett |
| David Clelland | Blair | Beckett |
| Ann Clwyd | Blair | Prescott |
| Ann Coffey | Blair | Prescott |
| Harry Cohen | Beckett | Beckett |
| Michael Connarty | Blair | Prescott |
| Robin Cook | Blair | Prescott |
| Frank Cook | Prescott | Prescott |
| Robin Corbett | Blair | Prescott |
| Jeremy Corbyn | Beckett | Beckett |
| Jean Corston | Beckett | Beckett |
| Jim Cousins | Beckett | Beckett |
| Tom Cox | Blair | Beckett |
| John Cummings | Blair | Prescott |
| Lawrence Cunliffe | Blair | Prescott |
| Jack Cunningham | Blair | Beckett |
| Jim Cunningham | Blair | Prescott |
| Tam Dalyell | Prescott | Prescott |
| Alistair Darling | Blair | Beckett |
| Ian Davidson | Prescott | Prescott |
| Bryan Davies | Blair | Prescott |
| Denzil Davies | Prescott | Beckett |
| Ron Davies | Blair | Prescott |
| Terry Davis | Prescott | Prescott |
| John Denham | Blair | Beckett |
| Donald Dewar | Blair | Beckett |
| Don Dixon | Prescott | Prescott |
| Frank Dobson | Blair | Beckett |
| Brian Donohoe | Prescott | Prescott |
| Jim Dowd | Blair | Prescott |
| Jimmy Dunnachie | Blair | Prescott |
| Gwyneth Dunwoody | Prescott | Prescott |
| Angela Eagle | Beckett | Beckett |
| Ken Eastham | Prescott | Prescott |
| Derek Enright | Blair | Prescott |
| Bill Etherington | Prescott | Prescott |
| John Evans | Blair | Prescott |
| Derek Fatchett | Beckett | Beckett |
| Andrew Faulds | Blair | Prescott |
| Frank Field | Blair | Prescott |
| Mark Fisher | Blair | Prescott |
| Paul Flynn | Blair | Beckett |
| Derek Foster | Blair | Beckett |
| George Foulkes | Blair | Prescott |
| John Fraser | Blair | Beckett |
| Maria Fyfe | Beckett | Beckett |
| Sam Galbraith | Blair | Beckett |
| George Galloway | - | - |
| Mike Gapes | Blair | Beckett |
| John Garrett | Blair | Beckett |
| Bruce George | Blair | Prescott |
| Neil Gerrard | Beckett | Beckett |
| John Gilbert | Blair | Prescott |
| Norman Godman | Prescott | Prescott |
| Roger Godsiff | - | - |
| Llin Golding | Beckett | Beckett |
| Mildred Gordon | Beckett | Beckett |
| Tommy Graham | Prescott | Prescott |
| Bernie Grant | Beckett | Beckett |
| Nigel Griffiths | Blair | Beckett |
| Win Griffiths | Blair | Beckett |
| Bruce Grocott | Blair | Prescott |
| John Gunnell | Blair | Prescott |
| Peter Hain | Beckett | Prescott |
| Mike Hall | Prescott | Prescott |
| David Hanson | Blair | Prescott |
| Peter Hardy | Blair | Beckett |
| Harriet Harman | Blair | Beckett |
| Roy Hattersley | Blair | Prescott |
| Doug Henderson | Blair | Beckett |
| John Heppell | Beckett | Beckett |
| Keith Hill | Blair | Beckett |
| David Hinchliffe | Prescott | Prescott |
| Margaret Hodge | Blair | Beckett |
| Kate Hoey | Blair | Beckett |
| Norman Hogg | Blair | Beckett |
| Jimmy Hood | Prescott | Prescott |
| Geoff Hoon | Blair | Beckett |
| George Howarth | Blair | Beckett |
| Kim Howells | Blair | Beckett |
| Doug Hoyle | Prescott | Prescott |
| Bob Hughes | Prescott | Prescott |
| Kevin Hughes | Blair | Prescott |
| Roy Hughes | Blair | Prescott |
| John Hutton | Blair | Beckett |
| Eric Illsley | Prescott | Prescott |
| Adam Ingram | Blair | Beckett |
| Glenda Jackson | Blair | Beckett |
| Helen Jackson | Beckett | Beckett |
| David Jamieson | Blair | Beckett |
| Greville Janner | Blair | Prescott |
| Barry Jones | Blair | Beckett |
| Jon Owen Jones | Blair | Prescott |
| Lynne Jones | Beckett | Beckett |
| Martyn Jones | Prescott | Prescott |
| Tessa Jowell | Blair | Beckett |
| Gerald Kaufman | Blair | Prescott |
| Alan Keen | Blair | Beckett |
| Jane Kennedy | Blair | Prescott |
| Piara Khabra | Blair | Prescott |
| Peter Kilfoyle | Blair | Prescott |
| Neil Kinnock | Blair | Beckett |
| Joan Lestor | Prescott | Prescott |
| Terry Lewis | Beckett | Prescott |
| Helen Liddell | Blair | Prescott |
| Bob Litherland | Prescott | Prescott |
| Ken Livingstone | Beckett | Beckett |
| Tony Lloyd | Prescott | Prescott |
| Geoffrey Lofthouse | Blair | Prescott |
| Eddie Loyden | Beckett | Beckett |
| Calum MacDonald | Blair | Prescott |
| Andrew Mackinlay | Beckett | Prescott |
| Max Madden | Beckett | Beckett |
| Alice Mahon | Beckett | Beckett |
| Peter Mandelson | Blair | Prescott |
| John Marek | Beckett | Beckett |
| David Marshall | Prescott | Beckett |
| Jim Marshall | Beckett | Beckett |
| Michael Martin | Blair | Prescott |
| Eric Martlew | Blair | Prescott |
| John Maxton | Blair | Beckett |
| John McAllion | Prescott | Prescott |
| Tommy McAvoy | Blair | Prescott |
| Ian McCartney | Prescott | Prescott |
| John McFall | Blair | Prescott |
| Willie McKelvey | Prescott | Prescott |
| Henry McLeish | Blair | Beckett |
| Gordon McMaster | Prescott | Prescott |
| Kevin McNamara | Blair | Beckett |
| Denis MacShane | Blair | Prescott |
| John McWilliam | Blair | Beckett |
| Michael Meacher | Prescott | Prescott |
| Alan Meale | Prescott | Prescott |
| Alun Michael | Blair | Beckett |
| Bill Michie | Beckett | Beckett |
| Alan Milburn | Blair | Beckett |
| Andrew Miller | Blair | Prescott |
| Austin Mitchell | Blair | Prescott |
| Lewis Moonie | Blair | Beckett |
| Rhodri Morgan | Blair | Prescott |
| Elliot Morley | Blair | Prescott |
| Alf Morris | Blair | Beckett |
| Estelle Morris | Blair | Prescott |
| John Morris | Blair | Prescott |
| Mo Mowlam | Blair | Prescott |
| George Mudie | Blair | Prescott |
| Chris Mullin | Blair | Beckett |
| Paul Murphy | Blair | Prescott |
| Mike O'Brien | Blair | Prescott |
| Bill O'Brien | Blair | Prescott |
| Eddie O'Hara | Blair | Prescott |
| Martin O'Neill | Blair | Prescott |
| Gordon Oakes | Blair | Beckett |
| Bill Olner | Blair | Prescott |
| Stan Orme | Blair | Prescott |
| Bob Parry | Prescott | Prescott |
| Terry Patchett | Prescott | Spoilt |
| Tom Pendry | Blair | Prescott |
| Colin Pickthall | Prescott | Prescott |
| Peter Pike | Beckett | Beckett |
| Greg Pope | Blair | Prescott |
| Ray Powell | Prescott | Prescott |
| Bridget Prentice | Blair | Prescott |
| Gordon Prentice | Beckett | Beckett |
| John Prescott | Prescott | Prescott |
| Dawn Primarolo | Beckett | Beckett |
| Ken Purchase | Beckett | Beckett |
| Joyce Quin | Blair | Beckett |
| Giles Radice | Blair | Beckett |
| Stuart Randall | Blair | Beckett |
| Nick Raynsford | Blair | Beckett |
| Martin Redmond | Prescott | Prescott |
| John Reid | Blair | Prescott |
| George Robertson | Blair | Beckett |
| John Home Robertson | Blair | Prescott |
| Geoffrey Robinson | Blair | Prescott |
| Barbara Roche | Beckett | Beckett |
| Allan Rogers | Blair | Prescott |
| Jeff Rooker | Blair | Prescott |
| Terry Rooney | Beckett | Prescott |
| Ernie Ross | Blair | Prescott |
| Ted Rowlands | Blair | Prescott |
| Joan Ruddock | Blair | Beckett |
| Brian Sedgemore | Beckett | Prescott |
| Barry Sheerman | Blair | Beckett |
| Robert Sheldon | Blair | Prescott |
| Peter Shore | Blair | Prescott |
| Clare Short | Beckett | Beckett |
| Alan Simpson | Beckett | Beckett |
| Dennis Skinner | Beckett | Beckett |
| Andrew Smith | Blair | Beckett |
| Chris Smith | Blair | Beckett |
| Llew Smith | Prescott | Beckett |
| Peter Snape | Prescott | Prescott |
| Clive Soley | Blair | Prescott |
| Nigel Spearing | Beckett | Beckett |
| John Spellar | Blair | Prescott |
| Rachel Squire | Blair | Beckett |
| Gerry Steinberg | Blair | Prescott |
| George Stevenson | Beckett | Beckett |
| Roger Stott | Blair | Prescott |
| Gavin Strang | Blair | Beckett |
| Jack Straw | Blair | - |
| Gerry Sutcliffe | Blair | Prescott |
| Ann Taylor | Blair | Beckett |
| Jack Thompson | Blair | Prescott |
| Stephen Timms | Blair | Beckett |
| Paddy Tipping | Beckett | Beckett |
| Dennis Turner | Blair | Beckett |
| Keith Vaz | Blair | Beckett |
| Harold Walker | Blair | Prescott |
| Joan Walley | Prescott | Prescott |
| Gareth Wardell | - | - |
| Bob Wareing | Prescott | Prescott |
| Mike Watson | Blair | Prescott |
| Malcolm Wicks | Blair | Prescott |
| Alan J. Williams | Blair | Prescott |
| Alan W. Williams | Blair | Beckett |
| Brian Wilson | Blair | Prescott |
| David Winnick | Prescott | Beckett |
| Audrey Wise | Beckett | Beckett |
| Tony Worthington | Blair | Prescott |
| Jimmy Wray | Prescott | Prescott |
| Tony Wright | Blair | Prescott |
| David Young | Prescott | Prescott |
Source