2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)
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The 2010 Labour Party leadership election was triggered on 10 May when, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he intended to step down as Labour Leader.[1] He stated that "I ... intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes needed for its own leadership election".[2]
The announcement followed the 2010 general election which resulted in a hung parliament, with the Conservative Party holding the most seats. Brown said that he hoped a new leader would be in place in time for the Labour Party Conference in September.[3]
On the early evening of 11 May, Brown announced that he was resigning as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party with immediate effect. As deputy leader, Harriet Harman assumed the post of acting leader and the National Executive Committee of the party arranged to meet within a month to arrange the details of the leadership contest.[4]
Timetable
The rules of the Labour Party state that "each nomination [for Leader] must be supported by 12.5 per cent of the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party."[5] As the number of Labour MPs returned at the general election was 258,[6] 33 MPs would need to support any nomination. At a meeting of the Cabinet held on 10 May 2010, it was agreed that no one would announce their candidacy until after formal negotiations in regards to attempting to form a government with the Liberal Democrats are resolved.[7]
There will be three distinct electorates:
- Labour members of the House of Commons and the European Parliament
- Individual members of the party
- Individual members of affiliated organisations such as trade unions. Each electorate or section shall contribute one third of the total votes. The election will be run by the National Executive Committee and the results will be announced at the annual conference in September 2010[5]
Confirmed candidates
- David Miliband, MP for South Shields since 2001 and former Foreign Secretary.[8]
See also
- Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2007
- Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2007
- Labour Party Rule Book
References
- ^ Hoskin, Peter (10 May 2010). "Gordon Brown announces his resignation". The Spectator. The Spectator (1828) Ltd. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ^ Sheridan, Michael (10 May 2010). "Prime Minister Gordon Brown resigns; plans to step down in September". New York Daily News. nydailynews.com. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
- ^ Staff (10 May 2010). "Gordon Brown 'stepping down as Labour leader'". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ^ Curtis, Polly (11 May 2010). "Labour backbenchers seek televised leadership contest". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
- ^ a b Chris Lennie, Acting General Secretary, ed. (2008). "4". The Labour Party Rule Book 2008 (PDF). London: The Labour Party. pp. 24–25. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ^ "Election 2010". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
{{cite news}}: Text "date 7 May 2010" ignored (help) - ^ Curtis, Polly (10 May 2010). "David Miliband and Ed Balls set to launch Labour leadership bids". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
{{cite news}}: Text "Politics" ignored (help); Text "The Guardian" ignored (help) - ^ "David Miliband quick off the mark to announce his leadership bid". London Evening Standard. 12 May, 2010.
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External links
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