Few people expected Michael Foot to replace Jim Callaghan as the Labour Party leader in November 1980. Dennis Healey was the favourite to win the contest.
Last contest under the old rules
Yet if people had understood how badly affected by defeat in the British general election of 1979 then they would not been surprised in the slightest with the outcome. The party membership had taken a sharp turn to the left in response to the right wing policies of the Thatcher government. Thus MPs were nervous about voting for the moderate Healey. It was the last time that MPs alone could vote
for the new leader.Vote for Foot or get deselected
Prior to the election contest the party had changed the rules for the selection of
constituency candidates with the result that surge to the left made MPs fearful for their position. The moderates who would have automatically backed Healey were likely to vote for Foot to avoid been deselected before the next general election.Splitting the party and the road to diaster
The decision to elect Foot proved to be disastrous. Labour moved even further to the left especially after the gang of four including Roy Jenkins split to form the SDP. The scruffy Foot was no match for Margaret Thatcher.
Reference
Hattersley R (1997) 50 Years on
