1982 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election explained

Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet (more formally, its "Parliamentary Committee") took place on 18 November 1982. In addition to the 15 members elected, the Leader (Michael Foot), Deputy Leader (Denis Healey), Labour Chief Whip (Michael Cocks), Labour Leader in the House of Lords (Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos), and Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party (Jack Dormand) were automatically members.

All 15 members elected the previous year were retained. The value of being the top loser dropped as by-elections would be held for future vacancies under a change in the Parliamentary Labour Party's rules. The results for 20 of the 40 candidates are listed below:[1]

Rank
Prior
rank
Candidate
Constituency
Votes
1 2Gerald KaufmanManchester Ardwick142
27Neil KinnockBedwellty131
31Peter ShoreStepney and Poplar129
43Roy HattersleyBirmingham Sparkbrook127
55Eric VarleyChesterfield122
68Albert BoothBarrow and Furness118
74John SilkinLewisham Deptford103
89John SmithNorth Lanarkshire102
914Peter ArcherWarley West101
1011Stan OrmeSalford West100
116Merlyn ReesLeeds South93
1210Brynmor JohnPontypridd90
13=15Gwyneth DunwoodyCrewe85
13=12Bruce MillanGlasgow Craigton85
1513Eric HefferLiverpool Walton82
16?Tony BennBristol South East75
17†17Robin CookEdinburgh Central73
17†?Joan LestorEton and Slough73
19?John GoldingNewcastle-under-Lyme72
2016Norman BuchanWest Renfrewshire70

Footnotes

Notes
  • References
  • Notes and References

    1. Web site: Foot's "Shadow" team will come from the same faces . Geoffrey Parkhouse . The Glasgow Herald . 6 . 19 November 1982.