Chair of the Labour Party (UK)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Leader of the Labour Party-appointed position in the Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom. For the chair of the party's governing body, see National Executive Committee of the Labour Party § Chair of the National Executive Committee.
Chair of the Labour Party
Official portrait of Anneliese Dodds MP.jpg
Incumbent
Anneliese Dodds
since 9 May 2021
StyleParty Chair (informal)
AppointerLeader of the Labour Party
Formation9 June 2001
First holderCharles Clarke

The Chair of the Labour Party is a position in either the Cabinet or the Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The Chair is responsible for administration of the party and overseeing general election campaigns, and is typically held concurrently with another position.

History[]

Established by Tony Blair in the aftermath of the 2001 general election, the Chair of the Labour Party was a Cabinet position held alongside the Minister without Portfolio post during his tenure as Prime Minister.[1] The position is not to be confused with that of Chair of the Labour National Executive Committee, described as 'chair of the party' in the Labour Party Constitution. The role had a larger portfolio for organising election campaigning under Jeremy Corbyn, with Ian Lavery working alongside the co-national campaign coordinator, Andrew Gwynne.[2]

From June 2007 to June 2017 and again from April 2020 to May 2021, the seat was held concurrently by the party's deputy leader. The position was held by Angela Rayner, who was appointed by Keir Starmer following her election as deputy leader, until 2021 when she was sacked after Labour performed poorly at the local elections and the Hartlepool by-election.[3]

List of chairs[]

Name Portrait Term of office Concurrent office(s) Party Leader
Charles Clarke Charles Clarke (cropped).jpg 9 June 2001 24 October 2002 Minister without Portfolio Tony Blair
John Reid Official portrait of Lord Reid of Cardowan, 2020.jpg 24 October 2002 4 April 2003
Ian McCartney Minister of State for Trade, UK, Mr. Ian McCartney, in New Delhi on November 27, 2006 (cropped).jpg 4 April 2003 5 May 2006
Hazel Blears Hazel Blears, June 2009 2 cropped.jpg 5 May 2006 24 June 2007
Harriet Harman Official portrait of Ms Harriet Harman crop 2.jpg 24 June 2007 12 September 2015 Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

Leader of the House of Commons (2007–10)

Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal (2007–10)

Minister for Women and Equality (2007–10)

Leader of the Opposition (2010)

Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010–15)

Shadow Secretary of State for International Development (2010–11)

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2011–15)

Leader of the Opposition (2015)

Gordon Brown
Herself (acting)
Ed Miliband
Herself (acting)
Tom Watson Official portrait of Tom Watson crop 2.jpg 12 September 2015 14 June 2017 Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Jeremy Corbyn
Ian Lavery Official portrait of Ian Lavery MP crop 2.jpg 14 June 2017 5 April 2020 Shadow Minister without Portfolio

National Campaign Coordinator

Angela Rayner Official portrait of Angela Rayner MP crop 2.jpg 5 April 2020 8 May 2021 Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Shadow First Secretary of State

National Campaign Coordinator

Keir Starmer
Anneliese Dodds Official portrait of Anneliese Dodds MP crop 2.jpg 9 May 2021 Incumbent Chair of the Labour Policy Review

Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities

References[]

  1. ^ Hattersley, Roy (26 July 2001). "Blair mistook his Clarke for a chair". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  2. ^ "The Latest from Labour Shadow Cabinet Appointments". Labour Party. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  3. ^ Way, Fran (9 May 2021). "Oxford MP Anneliese Dodds sacked as Labour's Shadow Chancellor". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
Retrieved from ""