Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 1972

Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election

25 April 1972

Candidate Edward Short Michael Foot Anthony Crosland First Round Votes 111 89 61 First Round Percentage 42.5% 34.1% 23.4% Second Round Votes 145 116 - Second Percentage 55.6% 44.4% -

Deputy Leader before election Roy Jenkins Elected Deputy Leader Edward Short

The 1972 Labour Party deputy leadership election took place on 25 April 1972 after Roy Jenkins resigned as deputy leader over the decision to hold a referendum on Britain's entry into the Common Market.^[1]

Edward Short, formerly Education Secretary in the government of Harold Wilson, was regarded as a "unity" candidate,^[2] and won the election over his main rival, the left-winger Michael Foot, who had unsuccessfully stood for the deputy leadership in 1970 and 1971.

Candidates

• Anthony Crosland, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby
• Michael Foot, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Member of Parliament for Ebbw Vale
• Edward Short, Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science, Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Results

First round
Candidate		Votes	Percentage
	Edward Short	111	42.5%
	Michael Foot	89	34.1%
	Anthony Crosland	61	23.4%
Anthony Crosland eliminated

Second round
Candidate		Votes	Percentage
	Edward Short	145	55.6%
	Michael Foot	116	44.4%
Edward Short elected

References

1. "How Labour can learn from Roy Jenkins". The Guardian, 4 January 2013. Accessed 26 Oct 2014
2. Obituary: Lord Glenamara, The Telegraph, 11 May 2012. Accessed 26 Oct 2014