1989 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election

Interparty election April 2022 February 2026 Elections to the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet (more formally, its "Parliamentary Committee") occurred in November 1989. For these elections the Shadow Cabinet was expanded from 15 to 18 seats and, for the first time, MPs had to cast at least three votes for women.Brown and Smith top poll The Guardian 2 November 1989 In July 1989 Labour agreed to increase the number of places on the Shadow Cabinet and introduce positive discrimination to ensure more women were included.Wintour Patrick PLP agrees on top jobs for women The Guardian 13 July 1989 After considering several options for increasing the number of women in the Shadow Cabinet, the party voted for Llin Golding's proposal to require all MPs to cast at least three votes for women.Wintour Patrick MPs must vote for three women in enlarged shadow cabinet poll The Guardian 20 July 1989 As a result of these changes, the Shadow Cabinet elected in 1989 included four women for the first time. In addition to the 18 members elected, the Leader (Neil Kinnock), Deputy Leader (Roy Hattersley), Labour Chief Whip (Derek Foster), Labour Leader in the House of Lords (Cledwyn Hughes), Chief Whip in the House of Lords (Thomas Ponsonby), House of Lords Shadow Cabinet representative (Joe Dean) and Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party (Stan Orme) were automatically members.Kinnock picks his shadow cabinet The Times 3 November 1989 9 The 18 winners of the election are listed below: Colourkey Retained in the Shadow Cabinet Joined the Shadow Cabinet Voted out of the Shadow Cabinet Rank Candidate Constituency Votes 1 Gordon Brown Dunfermline East 162 2 John Smith John Smith (Labour Party leader) John Smith Monklands East 153 3 Robin Cook Livingston 141 4 Tony Blair Sedgefield 138 5 Gerald Kaufman Manchester Gorton 134 6 Joan Lestor Eccles 129 7 Jo Richardson Barking 126 8 Jack Cunningham Copeland 125 9 Bryan Gould Dagenham 124 10 Frank Dobson Holborn and St Pancras 118 11 John Prescott Kingston upon Hull East 116 12 Michael Meacher Oldham West 115 13† David Clark David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere David Clark South Shields 111 13† Ann Clwyd Cynon Valley 111 15 Donald Dewar Glasgow Garscadden 109 16 Barry Jones Barry Jones, Baron Jones Alyn and Deeside 108 17 Margaret Beckett Derby South 106 18 Jack Straw Blackburn 104 19 Ann Taylor Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton Dewsbury 100 20 Martin O'Neill Martin O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of Clackmannan Clackmannan 86 21 Clare Short Birmingham Ladywood 83 22 Llin Golding Llin Golding, Baroness Golding Newcastle-under-Lyme 82 23 David Blunkett Sheffield Brightside 63 24 Tony Banks Tony Banks, Baron Stratford Newham North West 62 25 Harriet Harman Peckham 58 26 Tony Benn Chesterfield 42 27† Alan Williams Alan Williams (Carmarthen MP) Carmarthen 52 27† Barry Sheerman Huddersfield 52 29 Jeff Rooker Birmingham Perry Barr 50 30 Audrey Wise Preston 46 31 Bob Cryer Bradford South 42 32 Dennis Canavan Falkirk West 41 33 John Garrett John Garrett (British politician) Norwich South 33 † Multiple candidates tied for position. References 1989 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election