The 1992 Labour Party leadership election followed the Labour Party's failure to win the 1992 general election and the subsequent resignation of party leader Neil Kinnock. There were only two candidates in the election, with John Smith always the clear favourite to win. The ballot took place on 18 July 1992 at the Labour Party conference. Affiliated organisations had 40% of the vote, while Constituency Labour Parties and the Parliamentary Labour Party had 30% each in the electoral college. Gordon Brown and Robin Cook were both seen as potential candidates, but did not stand. John Smith was elected in a landslide victory with 91% of the vote. This was the last Labour Party leadership election which used the trade union block vote; the system was reformed under Smith's leadership to a one member, one vote system which was in place for the 1994 leadership election held two years later when Smith died suddenly of a heart attack. The contest took place simultaneously with the 1992 Labour Party deputy leadership election.

Candidates

Result

John Smith was elected leader of the Labour Party with a clear majority. Shortly after Black Wednesday in September 1992, Labour's lead in the opinion polls began to rise. By the time of his sudden death, Smith was widely predicted and expected to become prime minister at the next general election. In the event, he would only serve two years before his death, which precipitated another leadership election.

Reactions

The Sunday Times described Tony Blair, the Shadow Employment Secretary at the time, as "The Leader Labour Missed" following Smith's win. Blair would go on to be leader between 1994 and 2007.