It was as soon as thought to be a non-job. However the election for Angela Rayner’s successor as deputy Labour chief threatens to plunge the social gathering into a brand new civil battle.
The competition, each time it occurs, may probably be essentially the most divisive for the reason that bitter left-right break up when Tony Benn challenged the incumbent, Denis Healey, in 1981.
It was the 12 months of the launch of the breakaway SDP by the “Gang of Four” – Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Shirley Williams and Invoice Rodgers – and defections by a number of extra Labour MPs.
There was hypothesis that if Benn had received – then in his hard-left part earlier than he grew to become a nationwide treasure in his latter years – there could be way more defections to the SDP.
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This time, nonetheless, the specter of defections by Labour MPs comes not from the centre, however from Jeremy Corbyn’s new social gathering, which might be triggered if the left’s candidate is crushed.
So many Labour MPs will wish to see a candidate elected to exchange Ms Rayner who offers a balanced ticket, a left-right mixture with Sir Keir Starmer.
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In a letter to the prime minister, Angela Rayner resigned as deputy prime minister, housing secretary, and deputy chief of the Labour Social gathering. Sky’s Tamara Cohen analyses the place Angela Rayner’s resolution to resign all began.
Again in 1981 the Benn-Healey battle was fought out in a dirty temper at Labour’s autumn convention in Brighton, with the previous chancellor profitable by a wafer-thin 50.4% to 49.6%.
The temper was so toxic that Neil Kinnock, who’d refused to again Mr Benn, has claimed he was assailed by a younger Benn supporter within the toilet of the Grand Lodge and boasted: “I beat the **** out of him.”
Distinction that with the comradely contest when Ms Rayner beat rivals Richard Burgon, Daybreak Butler, Rosena Allin-Khan and Ian Murray in a poll of social gathering members in 2020.
Of these 4, a livid Mr Murray has simply been sacked as Scotland Secretary by Sir Keir, whereas Mr Burgon and Ms Butler are thought to be more likely to stand once more this time.
Large names and well-known faces within the function all through the years
Over time, some massive names have been Labour’s deputy chief, together with Clement Attlee within the Thirties earlier than he grew to become chief and left-wing firebrand Aneurin Bevan for a 12 months, till his dying in 1960.
Mr Healey was adopted in 1983 by Roy Hattersley, who’d stood on a so-called “dream ticket” with Mr Kinnock. Mr Benn and fellow left-winger Eric Heffer have been derided by MPs as “the nightmare ticket”.
Picture:
Former chancellor Denis Healey as soon as served as deputy chief Pic: PA
Then got here Margaret Beckett, John Prescott, Harriet Harman and Tom Watson. However of all Labour’s deputies, Mr Attlee was the one one to go on to grow to be chief and a Labour prime minister.
The put up was stated to be a non-job beneath Harold Wilson when his deputy was George Brown, higher identified for his consuming than his political achievements, and Ted Quick, who even referred to as his memoirs “I Knew My Place”.
It was the bruising Benn-Healey contest that elevated the standing of deputy chief. And the 2 most well-known current deputies, John Prescott and Angela Rayner, went on to grow to be deputy prime minister.
Picture:
John Prescott served as a human protect whereas deputy chief.
Pic: PA
So from a non-job, it is grow to be a key job.
Mr Prescott and Ms Rayner have been seen as human shields for Mr Blair and Sir Keir in opposition to the left and the extra militant commerce unions.
No surprise Sir Keir’s handwritten letter to Ms Rayner after her resignation was so pleasant and sympathetic. He did not wish to lose his human protect.
Within the Conservative Social gathering, Margaret Thatcher famously stated of her deputy William Whitelaw: “Every prime minister needs a Willie.”
Within the Labour Social gathering, lately each prime minister wants a protector, a gatekeeper, a fixer and a go-between. That is why there’s a lot at stake within the election for Angela Rayner’s successor.
