1988 Labour Party deputy leadership election

A deputy leadership election for the Labour Party in the United Kingdom took place on 2 October 1988 when John Prescott and Eric Heffer challenged Labour's incumbent Deputy Leader Roy Hattersley. Hattersley had served in the position since 1983.

1988 Labour Party deputy leadership election
← 1983 2 October 1988 (1988-10-02) 1992 →
 
Candidate Roy Hattersley John Prescott Eric Heffer
Overall result 66.8% 23.7% 9.5%
Affiliated unions 78.3% 21.6% 0.0%
Party members 60.4% 26.2% 13.5%
Labour MPs 57.9% 24.0% 18.1%

Deputy Leader before election

Roy Hattersley

Elected Deputy Leader

Roy Hattersley

The election was conducted using the Labour Party's Electoral College. Delegates at Labour Party conference voted in the election, with 40% of votes going to affiliated unions, 30% to constituency parties and 30% to the Parliamentary Labour Party.

The challenge to Hattersley's position was unsuccessful, and he retained the deputy leadership of the party by a wide margin. He served until 1992, when he resigned following Labour's defeat in the 1992 general election.

Candidates

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Result

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Candidate Affiliated block votes
(40%)[1]
CLP block votes
(30%)
PLP votes
(30%)
Overall result
Votes % Votes % Votes % %
Roy Hattersley  Y 4,429 78.3 367 60.4 128 57.9 67.3
John Prescott 1,223 21.6 159 26.2 53 24.0 23.7
Eric Heffer 1 0.0 82 13.5 40 18.1 9.4

References

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  1. ^ Under the rules at the time of the contest, block votes were cast by delegates and the Parliamentary Party at Labour Party Conference. Affiliated Unions held 40% of the votes, CLPs 30% and the PLP 30%.
  • Butler, David & Butler, Gareth (2006). British political facts since 1979 (p. 55). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4039-0372-3