View source for Timeline of the 2007 Labour Party leadership election (UK)

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{{Main|2007 Labour Party leadership election (UK)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
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|image1=Blair June 2007.jpg
|caption1=Outgoing Leader [[Tony Blair]]
|image2=Chancellor Gordon Brown official portrait (cropped).jpg
|caption2=Incoming Leader [[Gordon Brown]]
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{{Tony Blair sidebar}}{{Gordon Brown sidebar}}
This is a timeline of events relating to the final years of [[Tony Blair]]'s tenure as [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party]] and prime minister and the leadership elections to find replacements for him and Deputy Prime Minister [[John Prescott]], from his announcement that he would not lead Labour into a fourth general election, concluding with [[Gordon Brown]] becoming prime minister.
==Initial signals that Tony Blair's leadership was to end==
{{see also|2004 in the United Kingdom|2005 in the United Kingdom}}
On 30 September 2004, [[Tony Blair]] said he would not seek a fourth term as [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]. Labour went on to win a third consecutive term at the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]] with a significantly decreased majority of 66 seats; with Blair pledging to serve another full term. The Labour Party and Blair himself subsequently experienced a surge in popularity at the time of [[Timeline of the 2005 London bombings|terrorist bombings of London]] in July 2005, but by the Spring of 2006, were facing significant difficulties; most notably with scandals over failures by the [[Home Office]] to deport illegal immigrants and national campaigns by many political parties and think-tanks saying that the United Kingdom was being overrun by immigrants. Worries over the potential increase of support for the far-right [[British National Party]] during the [[2006 United Kingdom local elections|2006 local election]] campaign saw many Labour backbenchers and activists begin to demand a timetable from Blair for his departure, with many suggesting that it should be sooner rather than later.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2006/election_2006/default.stm | title =Election 2006 | work=[[BBC News]]|date=23 April 2007|access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref>
Speculation over the timing of Blair's resignation had been amplified by a variety of politicians and newspapers making their own predictions. On 21 April, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that the Brown camp were working on the assumption that Blair would announce the candidacy open on 9 May 2007, the day after power-sharing was due to start in [[Northern Ireland]], following which the new Labour Party leader would be elected on 15 July 2007.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2062309,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=11| title = Brown shows his hand to stifle challenge from left| date =21 April 2007 | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London | first=David | last=Hencke | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref> Talk of [[David Miliband]], [[Alan Milburn]],<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2077454,00.html | title =Blair backs Brown as chancellor launches campaign | author = Deborah Summers and agencies| date =11 May 2007 | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London}}</ref> [[Charles Clarke]]<ref>{{cite news| url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/23/nbrown23.xml
| title = Reid and Clarke may challenge Brown| author=George Jones, Political Editor| date =23 April 2007 | work =[[The Daily Telegraph]] | location=London}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> or [[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]]<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2084141.html | title =Reid not ruling out leadership bid | date =20 November 2006 | work =[[The Guardian]] | publisher =ananova.com }}</ref> as possible candidates was almost constant, although the former consistently denied any ambition to stand and the latter three refused to make a decision until there was a vacancy, ultimately declining in the week before Blair requested the NEC to find a successor.
==Demands for Blair to announce a resignation timetable==
{{see also|2006 in the United Kingdom}}
On 15 July 2006, [[John McDonnell]] became the first Labour MP to announce an intention to stand for the leadership when Blair resigned. On 5 September 2006, 17 Labour [[Member of parliament|MP]]s signed a letter asking Blair to resign, accompanied by press reports alleging that up to 80 MPs were willing to sign. Later, senior party members stated that Tony Blair would not be prime minister at the next Labour Party conference<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5318354.stm | title =PM gone within year, allies say | date =6 September 2006 | work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref> and on 6 September, [[Tom Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest|Tom Watson]], one of the MPs who signed the letter, resigned as [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Junior Defence Minister]]<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5321296.stm | title =In full: MPs call for Blair to go | date =6 September 2006 | work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref> along with seven [[Parliamentary Private Secretaries]]: [[Khalid Mahmood (British politician)|Khalid Mahmood]], [[Wayne David]], [[Ian Lucas]], [[Mark Tami]], [[Chris Mole]], [[David Wright (politician)|David Wright]] and [[Iain Wright]].<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5320760.stm | title =In full: Resignation letters | date =6 September 2006 | work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
On 7 September, [[Jack Straw]] stated that he expected the Prime Minister to announce a timetable for his departure in May 2007<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5322094.stm | title =I will quit within a year – Blair | date =7 September 2006 | work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref> and Blair announced that the September 2006 Labour Party Conference and [[Trades Union Congress|TUC]] Conference would be the last he would attend as party leader, despite which he was [[heckled]] at the [[Trades Union Congress]] on 12 September by members calling for him to resign immediately.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5336884.stm | title =Blair's 'brutal truth' to unions | date =12 September 2006 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
On 23 September, John Hutton became the first serving Cabinet Minister to say that [[Gordon Brown]] should face a serious challenger for Labour's leadership.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5372832.stm | title =Hutton call to 'challenge' Brown | date=23 September 2006 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> At the [[Labour Party (UK) Conference#2006 Manchester|2006 Labour Party Conference]] on 25 September, Brown announced his candidacy for the leadership,<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5376760.stm | title =Brown sets out leadership vision |date=25 September 2006| work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref> while three days later at the same conference [[John Prescott]] announced that he would stand down when Blair resigned as prime minister.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5386428.stm | title =Prescott tells Labour: I'm sorry | date = 28 September 2006| work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> During the debate on [[State Opening of Parliament|The Queen's Speech]] on 15 November, Blair said [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] leader [[David Cameron]] was a "[[flyweight]] against a [[heavyweight]]" at the next general election, widely interpreted as implicit support for Brown.<ref>{{cite web| url =https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm061115/debtext/61115-0005.htm | title =House of Commons Hansard ("Debates") 15 Nov 2006 : Column 27 | date =15 November 2006 | work=Hansard }}</ref>
==Campaigning commences==
In January 2007, Brown outlined a number of his potential policies for Britain, mentioning citizen responsibility, education, efforts to solve problems in Africa and "a new style of politics" as his priorities.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6238565.stm | title =Brown outlines patriotic vision | date =7 January 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6259131.stm | title =Brown outlines vision for Britain | date =13 January 2007 |work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> On 17 January, he spoke of "a new world order" while on a tour of India, and announced backing for India's bid for a place as a permanent member on the [[UN Security Council]], and on many other international bodies.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6269653.stm | title =Brown backs stronger India role | date =17 January 2007 }}</ref> On 21 March, at 12:30&nbsp;pm, he delivered the budget for the 2007–08 financial year, his last budget as [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]. On 16 January, Blair declared his intention to attend a summit of EU leaders as prime minister on 21–22 June 2007,<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,1991702,00.html | title =Of course I will stay till June, says Blair | date =16 January 2007 | agency =[[Press Association]] | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref> and on 28 January stated that he was "not finished yet", and intended to complete the public sector reforms he had started, as well as leading Labour into local and devolved Elections on 3 May.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6307541.stm | title =I am not finished yet, says Blair | date =28 January 2007 | work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
On 17 January, [[left-wing]] MP [[John McDonnell]] claimed that support for his leadership challenge had grown to within striking distance of the necessary backing. Michael Meacher, former [[Minister of State|Minister of State for the Environment]] in the [[DETR]] and its successor [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|Defra]] announced that he was also seeking nominations from MPs and was considering standing.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,1992396,00.html | title =Labour rebel claims growing support for leadership bid | author =Hélène Mulholland | date =17 January 2007 | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London}}</ref> On 22 February he became the third Labour MP to announce his intention to stand for the leadership, although critics in the media expressed doubt over the extent of backbench support for either challenger at this point.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2019175,00.html | title =Left without direction | date =22 February 2007 | work =[[BBC News]] | location=London | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref>
On 2 March, [[Jack Straw]] casually declined to run for the leadership after reports that someone had placed a £500 bet on his winning.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2318734.ece | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070304071445/http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2318734.ece | url-status =dead | archive-date =4 March 2007 | title =Brown squeezes public sector pay to prepare for Tory battle | author =Colin Brown | date =2 March 2007 | work =[[The Independent]] | location=London}}</ref> On 20 March, the Labour Party NEC met to decide on rules for the upcoming leadership elections.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.labour.org.uk/nec_reports| title = Labour NEC Reports | date = 20 March 2007| work = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] website }}</ref> On 13 April, Brown met US President [[George W. Bush]] for the first time, in a reportedly amicable discussion.<ref>{{cite web| url =https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aN9kLwDL3F3 | title =Gordon Brown 'Got on Very Well' With Bush in First Meeting  | date =15 April 2007 | publisher =[[Bloomberg L.P.]] }}</ref> On 15 April he encouraged rivals to "bring it on", in response to numerous reports suggesting that he would face three or four contenders for the leadership.<ref>{{cite web| url =https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_headline=gang-of-four--&method=full&objectid=18910619&siteid=89520-name_page.html | title=Chancellor tells likely rivals to 'feel free' to stand against him | author =Oonagh Blackman | date =16 April 2007 | work =[[Daily Mirror|The Mirror]] }}</ref>
On 17 April, [[David Miliband]] declared that he would not be a candidate for the Labour leadership or [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy leadership]], and had not wavered in his position on that issue in the past three years. He subsequently announced his support for Brown in any leadership election.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6580589.stm | title= Miliband promises to back Brown | date =22 April 2007| work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> On 20 April, ''[[The Independent]]'' reported that many of Blair's closest allies were eager to unite the Blair and Brown camps and prevent any challenge to Gordon Brown from dividing the party.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2465958.ece| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070422064928/http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2465958.ece| url-status =dead| archive-date =22 April 2007| title =  Blairites: Clarke challenge could split party| date =20 April 2007 | work =[[The Independent]] | location=London | first1=Colin | last1=Brown | first2=Andrew | last2=Grice | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref> The next day, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that 217 MPs had already signed up to back Gordon Brown's leadership. There were also reports that even among the undecided, many were keen to prevent the progress of Michael Meacher and John McDonnell.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2062309,00.html| title = Brown shows his hand to stifle challenge from left| date =21 April 2007 | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London | first=David | last=Hencke | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref>
On 27 April, [[Michael Meacher]] and [[John McDonnell]] agreed that whichever had fewer supporters the day after Blair resigned as Labour leader would step aside, to allow the other a stronger chance to secure the support of the 45 MPs necessary to qualify for the ballot paper.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6598683.stm | title=Left rivals unite to target Brown| date=27 April 2007 | work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> On 1 May, Blair announced that he would announce his resignation as Labour leader the following week, following which he expected a campaign of about seven weeks. He also announced his support for Brown to succeed him as Labour leader and prime minister.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6610623.stm | title =Brown to be PM 'in weeks' – Blair| work=[[BBC News]] | date =1 May 2007 }}</ref> On 3 May, the day after Blair and Brown's tenth anniversary as prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, elections were held for [[2007 UK local elections|English and Scottish Local Government]], [[2007 Scottish Parliament election|the Scottish Parliament]] and [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|the Welsh Assembly]]. Labour faced mixed results, making gains in some areas, with slightly higher support than the previous year in the Local Elections and fairly minimal losses in the devolved elections, remaining the largest party in Wales and having one less seat than the SNP in Scotland, while losing many English council seats, mainly to the Conservative Party.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2007/election_2007/default.stm | title = Election 2007 | date =4 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
On 3 May, [[Charles Clarke]] changed his position towards Brown, praising him publicly and denying that he was poised to challenge for the Labour leadership.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.politics.co.uk/news/features/labour-leadership/clarke-rules-out-leadership-with-praise-brown-$472810.htm  | title = Clarke rules out leadership with praise for Brown | date =3 May 2007 | publisher=Politics.co.uk }}</ref> In an interview with ''[[The Times]]'' the following day, he claimed that he could get a sufficient number of nominations to stand for the Labour leadership, but that the Labour Party did not "have the appetite" for such a contest.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6627153.stm  | title = Clarke 'will not challenge Brown' | date =4 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> John Reid and John Hutton also announced their support for Brown, Reid going on to announce that he would be stepping down as Home Secretary upon the departure of Blair and Prescott.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=700982007 | archive-url =https://archive.today/20120713205606/http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=700982007 | url-status =dead | archive-date =13 July 2012 | title =Reid gives Brown clear run to No 10 | date =6 May 2007 | work =[[Scotland on Sunday]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6629877.stm  | title = Reid to quit as home secretary | date =6 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
On 9 May, in the last Prime Minister's Questions before Blair announced the vacancy for the Labour leadership, [[David Cameron]] described the Labour government as "like [[The Living Dead]]". Blair ignored Cameron's taunts regarding the possible chaos caused by interim arrangements for election of a new Labour leader and the upcoming resignation of John Reid from the government.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6638569.stm | title =PMQs: The living dead clash | date = 9 May 2007| work=[[BBC News]]| first=Nick | last=Assinder}}</ref>
==Blair asks Labour NEC to seek a new leader==
On 10 May, Blair announced to the [[Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)|Sedgefield]] Labour Party that he would stand down as prime minister on 27 June 2007, and that he would be requesting Labour's NEC to seek a new party leader. Shortly afterwards, [[John Prescott]] announced that he would stand down as deputy prime minister on the same day and that he had written to the NEC to announce his resignation as party Deputy Leader. Labour's NEC met on 13 May to finalise a timetable for the handover, confirming that Blair would remain leader until a new leader was elected, and giving any potential candidates three active Parliament days in which to submit their papers.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6639945.stm | title =Blair will stand down on 27 June | date =10 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6642805.stm | title =Prescott to quit as deputy leader | date =10 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6633989.stm | title =Q&A: Blair's exit plans | date =11 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Brown, Michael Meacher and John McDonnell held a joint policy debate in London.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=738472007 | title =Campaigning Brown offers vision of NHS | date =12 May 2007 | work =[[The Scotsman]] }}</ref>
On 10 May, [[John McDonnell]] and [[Michael Meacher]] delayed a decision over which one should run, describing their respective levels of support as "too close to call".<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6642331.stm | title =Brown rivals delay bid decision | date =10 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> Interviewed by ''[[Red Pepper (magazine)|Red Pepper]]'', John McDonnell stated that he could and would not support Michael Meacher, since he had voted with [[New Labour]] on many issues, and that it was a matter of them sitting down together to compare how many votes they had and decide a way forward.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.tni.org/detail_page.phtml?act_id=16809 | title =Challenging Brown from the Left? Meacher and McDonnell interviewed | author = Oscar Reyes | date =11 May 2007 | work =[[Red Pepper (magazine)|Red Pepper]] | publisher = [[Transnational Institute]]}}</ref> On 14 May [[Michael Meacher]] declared that he would not be a candidate in the Labour leadership election, since he did not have enough MPs support to get onto the ballot paper, going on to say he would be backing [[John McDonnell]] to get a left-wing candidate onto the ballot paper, though the possibility of this was still in doubt.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6652651.stm | title =Johnson doubts Brown challenger | date =15 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
On 10 May, [[Peter Hain]] ([[Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]]) and [[Harriet Harman]] ([[Solicitor General for England and Wales|Solicitor General]]) both announced that they had more than the minimum necessary number of nominations to appear on the Ballot paper for the Deputy Leadership Election, claiming 47 and 44 nominations respectively.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/deputyleader/story/0,,2076881,00.html | title =Hain and Harman claim places on deputy ballot | date =10 May 2007 | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London | first=David | last=Hencke | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref>
==Leadership elections==
{{Main|2007 Labour Party leadership election (UK)}}
As nominations opened on 15 May 2007, it became clear that Brown was well past the minimum requirement of nominations, with the support of around 282 MPs, while [[John McDonnell]] had only 27 nominations; still well short of the 45 required. In the Deputy Leadership Race, Harriet Harman, Hazel Blears, Peter Hain and Alan Johnson all had more than the minimum required nominations, with [[Jon Cruddas]] having 44 nominations and [[Hilary Benn]] 34.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKL1464496220070515 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517051324/http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKL1464496220070515 | url-status=dead | archive-date=17 May 2007 | title =McDonnell short for leadership race | date =15 May 2007 | work =[[Reuters]] }}</ref> On 16 May, John McDonnell alleged that many of Brown's supporters were using wrecking tactics to ensure that the decision did not proceed to a ballot.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2081121,00.html | title=Brown trying to prevent contest, claims McDonnell | date =16 May 2007 | work =[[The Guardian]] | location=London | first=Hélène | last=Mulholland | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref> Later that day, Brown secured 308 nominations, to John McDonnell's 29; although nominations were to be open for another day there were insufficient undeclared MPs remaining for anyone except Gordon Brown to be on the ballot, meaning he need only attend [[husting]]s and wait to be declared leader by the NEC. At this stage, John McDonnell conceded defeat. In the Deputy Leadership Race, Jon Cruddas and Hilary Benn secured the required nominations.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6660565.stm | title =Brown will enter No 10 unopposed | date =16 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6663653.stm | title =Deputy hopefuls make their case | date =16 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Nominations closed on 17 May, with Brown having secured 313 nominations compared to John McDonnell's 29. [[Harriet Harman]] (65 nominations), [[Hazel Blears]] (49 nominations), [[Peter Hain]] (51 nominations), [[Alan Johnson]] (73 nominations), [[Jon Cruddas]] (49 nominations) and [[Hilary Benn]] (47 nominations) all qualified to appear on the Deputy leadership ballot.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6457597.stm | title =Labour leader election timetable | date =9 May 2007 | work =[[BBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/nominations_close_-_1230_thursday_17_may | title =Labour leadership, close of nominations | date =17 May 2007 | work =[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] website | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070921050327/http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/nominations_close_-_1230_thursday_17_may | archive-date =21 September 2007 | df =dmy-all }}</ref>
At the husting at the [[University of Warwick]] on 20 May, Brown was heckled regarding the [[Iraq War|2003 War in Iraq]]. He replied by saying that although there had been mistakes, it had been the right thing to do. Candidates for the Deputy Leadership election were asked which factors they considered important to the next general election. Jon Cruddas named the issue of insecurity at work; Hilary Benn said that more housing was needed; Peter Hain described inequality as "the biggest challenge we face as a government"; Alan Johnson focused on social mobility; Hazel Blears mentioned education and employment opportunities; Harriet Harman said that Labour needed to "win back the trust and the confidence of the British people" and emphasised the importance of policy implementation. Blears, Harman and Benn all focused on the importance of party unity.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/hustings | title =Leadership Contest hustings | work =[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] website }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6673719.stm | title =Iraq decision was right – Brown | date=20 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
At the Bradford husting on 27 May, [[Jan Wilson]], leader of [[Sheffield City Council]], told Gordon Brown that the shadow of Iraq hung over the party and that Brown had had an easy time on it during the leadership campaign. Brown said he was happy to discuss the decision to remove the Ba'athist regime, but that his priority now was to focus on the next steps, with numbers of UK troops decreasing and UK forces taking an "overwatch role".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6696993.stm | title =Brown warned on 'shadow' of Iraq | date=27 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> At the BAME ([[Black people|black]], [[British Asian|Asian]] and [[minority ethnic]]) husting in [[Leicester]] on 30 May, Deputy Leadership candidates were split on the question of whether there should be all-ethnic minority shortlists; Hazel Blears, Jon Cruddas and Peter Hain all backed the idea, to increase numbers of Black and Asian MPs. Alan Johnson said that shortlists could reflect a need for more ethnic minority MPs, but that he was not sure that all-minority shortlists were the answer, and Hilary Benn said that he was not persuaded of the case for such shortlists either. [[Harriet Harman]] made no comment on the issue, except to say that there needed to be more MPs from ethnic minorities.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6706499.stm | title =MP shortlists divide candidates | date=31 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>
On 6 June 2007, ballot papers were sent out to Labour MPs, Labour MEPs, Labour Party members and members of affiliated unions for the position of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6457597.stm | title = Labour leader election timetable| date =14 May 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref> At the [[Cardiff]] husting on 9 June 2007, Brown described the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] as caught between "what they think they should say" and "what they really believe". He accused them of being obsessed with [[Grammar school]]s, and said that parts of the Conservative Party wanted to scrap the [[NHS]]. He associated himself with decisions taken over the war in Iraq again, saying again that although mistakes had been made it had been the right thing to do. He also pledged that if necessary he would find more money to prevent job losses at [[Remploy]], a provider of jobs for the disabled, and that promises made at the G8 summit to tackle [[poverty in Africa]] would be kept.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6737257.stm | title =Brown taunts Tories over grammars | date=9 June 2007 | work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>
At the [[Oxford]] Youth husting (for people under the age of 27 years) on 10 June, Gordon Brown said that Labour must modernise and reform again to further involve young people in decision making, including the use of online facilities such as [[MySpace]]. Hilary Benn was critical of [[Bob Geldof]] and defended the settlement of the recent G8 Summit in [[Germany]], while Hazel Blears focused on anti-social behaviour. Peter Hain accused [[Home Secretary]] John Reid of "fanning up" the previous week's debate over possible introduction of new stop and search powers for police, saying "I don't believe in macho posturing on law and order and terrorism". Harriet Harman said that she felt the law needed changing to ensure that the government was informed if terrorist suspects en route to other countries faced the possibility of torture on arrival, and Jon Cruddas focused heavily on allegations of [[Extraordinary rendition|special rendition]] of terrorist suspects to [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]].  Alan Johnson stated the need for testing in schools to assess how well schools and individual pupils were doing; Jon Cruddas agreed but said he felt that it had gone too far.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6738823.stm | title =Brown says Labour must modernise | date=10 June 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>
The Deputy Leadership Ballot closed at 17:00 UTC+1 on 22 June. Brown was declared Leader of the Labour Party at a special conference on 24 June 2007, while in an election on the [[Alternative Vote]] system, [[Harriet Harman]] won the Deputy Leadership by 50.4% to [[Alan Johnson]]'s 49.6% after preferences were re-distributed, Jon Cruddas coming narrowly third. Harman had been behind until the last round of redistributions.<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6234692.stm | title =Harman wins deputy leader contest | date=24 June 2007 | work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url =http://politics.guardian.co.uk/deputyleader/story/0,,1974851,00.html | title = Deputy leadership contest: the rules explained| author =Hélène Mulholland | date =18 December 2006 | work = [[The Guardian]] | location=London}}</ref>
==Transition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown==
Tony Blair tendered his resignation as [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] after ten years, to Queen Elizabeth II on 27 June 2007 and [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], Gordon Brown was asked by The Queen to form a [[Brown ministry|new government]].<ref>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6245682.stm | title =Brown is UK's new prime minister | work =BBC News | date=27 June 2007 | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref> Unlike Blair with [[John Prescott]], Brown opted to keep his new deputy, [[Harriet Harman]], out of the position of [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]].
==See also==
* [[Premiership of Tony Blair]]
* [[Premiership of Gordon Brown]]
* [[Blair-Brown deal]]
* [[2007 Labour Party (UK) leadership election]]
* [[2007 Labour Party deputy leadership election]]
*[[Labour Party (UK)]]
* [[List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]]
* [[2007 in the United Kingdom]]
* [[2010 United Kingdom general election]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070421201512/http://www.labour.org.uk/home Labour website]
*[http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/ Labour leadership results page]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2006/blair_succession/default.stm Blair succession] [[BBC News]] Special Report
{{Labour Party leadership election, 2007}}
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[[Category:Premiership of Tony Blair]]
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[[Category:History of the Labour Party (UK)]]
[[Category:2007 political party leadership elections|Labour Party leadership election (UK)]]