Harman elected as Deputy Leader

24 June 2007

Harriet Harman has been confirmed as deputy leader of the Labour Party at a specially arranged Leadership Conference in Manchester on Sunday (24th June). The Justice Minister beat off stiff competition from Alan Johnson, John Cruddas, Hilary Benn, Peter Hain and Hazel Blears, as the contest went down to the last possible round. Harman beat the bookies favourite Alan Johnson by the narrowest of margins, 50.43% to 49.56% and succeeds Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott who has been deputy leader for 13 years. We would like to add out thanks to John Prescott for his lifetime of service to the Labour Party.

John Cruddas received the highest number of votes, from the electoral college system, in the first round in which Hazel Blears was eliminated. Second preferences from Hazel Blears' voters were then counted in the next round in which Peter Hain was eliminated, and so on. The electoral college gave one third of votes to each of, the Parliamentary Labour Party and MEPs, Labour Party members, and affiliated organisations (socialist societies and trade unions)..

New Party Leader, Gordon Brown also announced that the new deputy leader would also be the Party Chair, though it will not be clear until Wednesday's reshuffle whether she will be a member of the cabinet, or whether there will be a Deputy Prime Minister.

Full results breakdown

Candidate	1st round	2nd round	3rd round	4th round	5th round
Hilary Benn	16.40%	18.22%	22.33%
Hazel Blears	11.77%
Jon Cruddas	19.39%	20.39%	23.89%	30.06%
Peter Hain	15.32%	16.42%
Harriet Harman	18.93%	21.23%	25.88%	33.58%	50.43%	ELECTED
Alan Johnson	18.16%	23.74%	27.90%	36.35%	49.56%

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