GREAT pub quiz question, this: who succeeded John Smith as leader of the Labour Party?
The answer is, of course, Margaret Beckett. As Smith’s deputy, she assumed the full title on his death, not just that of interim leader.
I was reminded of this little historical nugget when I was in the Government Whips’ Office earlier today. On the far wall there are the framed photographs of every Labour leader since the founding of the party (the serving leader always occupies his or her own spot on a separate wall). And I noticed that Margaret’s picture has recently been slotted in between Smith’s and Tony Blair’s.
And quite right, too. An omission that should have been corrected much earlier.
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Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 3:28 pm
Now make one a Prime Minister and you will only be 3 decades behind the Tories.
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 3:47 pm
She was leader for quite some time, too. I can well remember her emotional eulogy in the House opposite John Major.
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 4:04 pm
Those were the days…
Wipes tear from eye, sniffs…
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 4:05 pm
Its good because the Labour party would never have a perminent woman leader.
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 4:09 pm
Is there a place on the wall reserved for you?
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 4:40 pm
@James Is there a place on the wall reserved for you?
Given that this blog lost (allegedly) Tom his ministerial job, and his lack of enthusiasm for Brown as PM, I would imagine that it would be a place against the wall.
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 7:27 pm
Hear! Hear! Tom.
Brown’s may rectify his mistake of not retaining her in a ministerial position after the next GE.
Jim Callaghan may have regretted sacking Barbara Castle.
Chameleon pretty much dissed Theresa May, and Caro “Nannygate” Spellman was reputedly in his coterie, but lately is supposedly out.
Dare I inquire which top public school now takes girls and scions of the most affluent and powerhungry?
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 7:52 pm
Tom, do we have to include her, she was never elected. On that basis you might just as well say that George Brown was once leader!*
*Disclaimer: I have never politically or personally liked Margaret Beckett. Politically, as I regard her move from the hard left as opportunist, esp given her lukewarm attitude to Militant in the Mid 80’s. Plus lets not forget her initial attitude over the expenses row
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 7:56 pm
Not a good comparison, Paul – George Brown never had to step into the shoes of a retiring or deceased leader.
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 9:53 pm
Wasn’t he technically leader between January 18th-Feb 14th 1963? In other words between Gaitskell’s death and Wilson’s succession
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 10:33 pm
You may be right, but I have a feeling the position of deputy changed when we started having “Leaders of the Labour Party” from Michael Foot onwards rather than “Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party”, which is what Gaitskell technically was.
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 10:51 pm
Wasn’t George Brown de facto acting leader in the month between Gaitskell’s death and Wilson’s eelection?
Wednesday 20 January 2010 at 11:57 pm
I guess that must be true. The question is, was he “de facto” leader or was he the actual, formal leader for that interim period in the same way Margaret was?
I genuinely don’t know.
Thursday 21 January 2010 at 12:42 am
Even more important to recognise was that she presided over the largest ever swing to Labour in a national election, the European elections in 1994, gaining us 17 seats and 44% of the vote (sly wikipedia stats, but I’m sure there are sourced ones somewhere!)
Thursday 21 January 2010 at 9:56 am
Blimey, you mean an English MP broke Labour’s unbroken Smith-Blair-Brown Scottish line of succession.
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