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Labour Party Leadership

Where can I find out about the leadership election and the candidates?

You can read information about the Labour Party leadership election below and more information is available online at www2.labour.org.uk/leadership-2010.

How can I get a vote in these elections?

By joining the Labour Party now. Members of the Labour Party or members of affiliated Trade Unions or Socialist Societies are able to vote in the elections for Labour’s next Leader.  Fully paid up party members and those members who are less than six months in arrears will be able to take part in these elections.

How can I join the Labour Party?

If you want to join us and have a vote in these elections ring 08705 900 200 or click here.

Will I get a vote if I join now?

Anyone joining the Labour Party before 8 September 2010 will be entitled to vote in the Leadership Election.

Where will I be able to find out how the candidates are doing in the contest?

The Labour Party will publish the nominations received by each of the validly nominated candidates every weekday on its website at 12.30pm and 5.30pm from Monday 24 May to Wednesday 9 June. The supporting nominations received by each candidate will also be published.

What is the difference between a nomination and a supporting nomination?

Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) may each cast one nomination for each of the positions of Leader and Deputy Leader. A candidate must receive 12.5% of the support of the PLP, or 33 Members of Parliament, to be validly nominated.  Each Constituency Labour Party, Member of the European Parliament and affiliated organisation may cast a supporting nomination for each of the positions of Leader and Deputy Leader.  These supporting nominations indicate the strength of support for the candidates across all stakeholder groups of the party.  The nominations and supporting nominations will be posted on the Labour Party website.

How can I learn more about the candidates?

On the contest pages of the Labour website you will be able to find biographies of all the validly nominated candidates and links to their campaign websites.  You can also put questions directly to the candidates via the candidate pages of the website.

What is the Leadership Conference?

The Leadership Conference is the event at which the results of the ballots are announced and the new Leader and Deputy Leader are declared. The Leadership Conference is comprised of representatives from the Electoral College – MPs and MEPs, individual party members, and Affiliated Organisations.

When will the results be announced?

The results of these elections will be announced at the Leadership Conference which will take place on Saturday 25 September 2010. 

How will votes be cast in the election?

In accordance with the Labour Party Rulebook, a third of the votes will go to each of the following sections:

  • MPs and MEPs;
  • Individual party members;
  • affiliated organisations

The vote, provided there are more than two candidates, will be a transferable eliminating ballot. Voters will mark the candidates 1,2, 3 etc. Each round will be published as 100%, with votes not cast or transferred being eliminated from the calculations.