1981 Labour Party deputy leadership election

1981 Labour Party deputy leadership election

← 1980 27 September 1981 (1981-09-27) 1983 →

Candidate Denis Healey Tony Benn John Silkin First ballot 45.4% 36.6% 18.0% Second ballot 50.4% 49.6% Eliminated

Deputy Leader before election Denis Healey Elected Deputy Leader Denis Healey

The 1981 Labour Party deputy leadership election took place on 27 September 1981 when Tony Benn unsuccessfully challenged the incumbent deputy leader Denis Healey at the party conference. Healey had been elected unopposed as deputy leader in the previous year.

The election took place at the Labour Party conference, with affiliated trade unions holding 40% of the votes, delegates from Constituency Labour Parties holding 30% of the votes, and the Parliamentary Labour Party holding the final 30% of the votes.