1961 Labour Party leadership election

1961 Labour Party leadership election

← 1960 2 November 1961 (1961-11-02) 1963 →

Candidate Hugh Gaitskell Tony Greenwood Popular vote 171 59 Percentage 74.4% 25.7%

Leader before election Hugh Gaitskell Elected Leader Hugh Gaitskell

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.