John Smith (Labour Party leader) John Smith PC QC (13 September 1938 – 12 May 1994) was a British Labour politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his death from a heart attack in May 1994.

Who was the MP for Lanarkshire in 1970?

As it was a safe seat for the Unionist Party (who at the time ran in place of the Conservatives ), Smith came second by some distance on both occasions. At the 1970 general election, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for North Lanarkshire, succeeding Margaret Herbison.

When did Ed Miliband become the leader of the Labour Party?

On 25 September 2010, Ed Miliband became the new Leader of the Labour Party. The rules of the Labour Party stated in 2010 that “each nomination [for leader] must be supported by 12.5 per cent of the Commons members of the Parliamentary Labour Party .”

When was the last time the Labour Party was in government?

The Labour Party was most recently in government from 1997 to 2010 under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, during the “New Labour” era, first elected with a landslide majority of 179, reduced to 66 in the 2005 election. Since leaving government the party has been led by Ed Miliband from 2010 and Jeremy Corbyn from 2015.

Who is John Smith?

For the authority on English criminal law, see John Cyril Smith. John Smith QC (13 September 1938 – 12 May 1994) was a Scottish Labour politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his death from a heart attack in May 1994.

What did Ed Smith do for Labour?

Smith was also a committed British Unionist. During Smith’s tenure as leader the Labour party gained a significant lead in the polls over the Conservatives; on 5 May 1994, one week before Smith’s death, the Conservatives suffered a major defeat in the British council elections, their worst in over 30 years.

What did John Smith do in the 1970s?

Smith made his maiden speech on 10 November 1970, opposing the Conservative government’s Family Income Supplements Act 1970. On 28 October 1971, Smith defied the Labour whips in joining Labour MPs led by Roy Jenkins to vote in favour of entry to the European Economic Community.