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Delegates at the Labour Party Conference at Wembley to vote on rule changes to the party
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Delegates at the Labour Party Conference at Wembley to vote on rule changes to the party
Delegates at the Labour Party Conference at Wembley to vote on rule changes to the party and the leadership election structure.
After Labours defeat in 1979 the party descended into civil war between left and right wing factions. The left were determined to end the exclusive right of Labour MPs to elect the leader.
The stakes had been raised by the threat of four senior former Labour cabinet ministers to form a new party if the exclusive right of Labour MPs to elect the leader was removed.
Undeterred the conference voted to introduce a new system whereby the unions, constituency parties and MPs would each have a third share in electing the leader.
The gang of Four: Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams, Bill Rodgers and David Owen formed the Social Democratic Party and Labour was out of office until 1997 when Tony Blair led it back to power.
The conference has gone down in Labour Party history as " The Battle of Wembley". 24th January 1981
Wilkinson
Daily Mirror
Mirrorpix
Wembley
Greater London
England
81 375
Media ID 21759762
© Mirrorpix
Conference Labour Party Large Group Of People 1981 Delegates
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures the intense atmosphere at the Labour Party Conference held at Wembley on January 24th, 1981. Delegates from all corners of the party gathered to vote on crucial rule changes that would shape both the party and its leadership election structure. Following their defeat in 1979, the Labour Party found itself embroiled in a bitter internal conflict between left and right wing factions. The left was determined to dismantle the exclusive power of Labour MPs to elect their leader, which sparked further tensions within an already divided party. The stakes were raised when four senior former cabinet ministers threatened to form a new political party if this exclusive right was removed. However, undeterred by these challenges, the conference voted in favor of introducing a new system where unions, constituency parties, and MPs would each have an equal share in electing future leaders. Ultimately, this decision led to significant consequences for British politics. The gang of Four - Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams, Bill Rodgers, and David Owen - went ahead with their plan and formed the Social Democratic Party. As a result of this split within Labour's ranks and subsequent infighting over ideology and policy direction, it took another sixteen years until Tony Blair successfully led Labour back into power in 1997. Dubbed "The Battle of Wembley" this historic conference remains etched in Labour Party history as a pivotal moment that shaped its trajectory for years to come.
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