The 1961 Labour Party leadership election was held when, for the second year in succession, the incumbent leader was challenged for re-election. Normally the annual re-election of the leader had been a formality.
The challenge followed factional in-fighting over issues like nuclear disarmament. The leader favoured the retention of nuclear weapons by the UK, whereas the left wing of the party supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Candidates
Two candidates were nominated.
The left-wing candidate the previous year had been Harold Wilson. In 1961 the candidate was a less well-known political figure, Tony Greenwood (1911–1982), then MP for the Lancashire constituency of Rossendale. He had been an MP since 1946 and was the son of Arthur Greenwood (1880–1954), who had been a Labour leadership candidate in 1935.
1961, labour, party, leadership, election, held, when, second, year, succession, incumbent, leader, challenged, election, normally, annual, election, leader, been, formality, 1960, november, 1961, 1961, 1963, candidate, hugh, gaitskell, tony, greenwoodpopular,. The 1961 Labour Party leadership election was held when for the second year in succession the incumbent leader was challenged for re election Normally the annual re election of the leader had been a formality 1961 Labour Party leadership election 1960 2 November 1961 1961 11 02 1963 Candidate Hugh Gaitskell Tony GreenwoodPopular vote 171 59Percentage 74 4 25 7 Leader before electionHugh Gaitskell Elected Leader Hugh GaitskellThe challenge followed factional in fighting over issues like nuclear disarmament The leader favoured the retention of nuclear weapons by the UK whereas the left wing of the party supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Candidates EditTwo candidates were nominated The left wing candidate the previous year had been Harold Wilson In 1961 the candidate was a less well known political figure Tony Greenwood 1911 1982 then MP for the Lancashire constituency of Rossendale He had been an MP since 1946 and was the son of Arthur Greenwood 1880 1954 who had been a Labour leadership candidate in 1935 The incumbent right wing leader of the party was Hugh Gaitskell 1906 1963 who had been Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1950 51 Gaitskell had been MP for Leeds South since 1945 and party leader since 1955 Ballot EditThe result of the only ballot of Labour MPs on 2 November was as follows Only ballot 2 November 1961Candidate Votes Hugh Gaitskell 171 74 35Tony Greenwood 59 25 65Majority 112 48 70Turnout 230 N AHugh Gaitskell re electedReferences EditButler David Butler Gareth 2000 Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900 2000 8th ed Macmillan Press Stenton M Lees S eds 1981 Who s Who of British Members of Parliament Volume IV 1945 1979 Harvester Press This United Kingdom election related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1961 Labour Party leadership election amp oldid 1091149967, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
