2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election

For the deputy leadership election in Scottish Labour, see 2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election.

The 2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election was triggered on 6 November 2019 by the resignation of Tom Watson as deputy leader of the Labour Party of the United Kingdom. It was won by Angela Rayner on the third ballot. It was held jointly with the 2020 Labour Party leadership election, in which Keir Starmer was elected to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as leader after Corbyn resigned following the party's defeat at the 2019 general election.

2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election

← 2015 24 February – 2 April 2020 (2020-02-24 – 2020-04-02)

Candidate Angela Rayner Rosena Allin-Khan Richard Burgon First pref. 192,168 (41.7%) 77,351 (16.8%) 80,053 (17.3%) Second round 209,968 (46.5%) 88,049 (19.5%) 88,664 (19.7%) Final round 228,944 (52.6%) 113,858 (26.1%) 92,643 (21.3%)   Candidate Ian Murray Dawn Butler First pref. 61,179 (13.3%) 50,255 (10.9%) Second round 64,560 (14.3%) Eliminated Final round Eliminated Eliminated

Deputy Leader before election Vacant[note 1] Elected Deputy Leader Angela Rayner

To qualify for the ballot, candidates needed nominations from 10% (22) of the party's Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of European Parliament (MEPs), followed by support from either 5% (33) of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), or from at least three affiliated groups, including two trades unions and representing at least 5% of affiliated members.

Five candidates—Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler, Ian Murray and Angela Rayner—received sufficient nominations from MPs and MEPs to proceed to the second round of nominations. Rayner achieved sufficient support from affiliates to qualify for the final ballot on 20 January, at which point she also had the greatest number of nominations from CLPs. Burgon achieved sufficient support from affiliates on 29 January, while Butler and Murray achieved sufficient support from CLPs on 2 and 7 February, respectively. Allin-Khan became the final candidate to reach the threshold when she received her 33rd CLP nomination on 8 February.

The results were announced on 4 April 2020, with Rayner announced as the winner and becoming deputy leader.

Background

Tom Watson resigned as deputy leader of the Labour Party and as an MP in November 2019 ahead of the 2019 general election.^[1]

Procedure

The election was conducted under a pure "one member, one vote" (OMOV) system. Candidates were elected by members and registered and affiliated supporters, who all received a maximum of one vote and all votes were weighted equally. For example, members of Labour-affiliated trade unions needed to register as affiliated Labour supporters to vote.^[2]

To stand, challengers needed to be nominated by at least 10% of the combined membership of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) and European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP), meaning twenty-two MPs or MEPs at the time. They also needed to be nominated by at least 5% of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), or party affiliates that consist of at least 5% of affiliate members including at least two trades unions.^[3] Affiliates consist of affiliated trades unions, socialist societies and the Co-operative Party.^[4][5] The vote, as in previous elections, was held under the alternative vote (instant-runoff) system.^[3]

Campaign

Hustings in Bristol on 1 February 2020, during the nomination stage

Dawn Butler, the shadow equalities secretary, announced on 7 November 2019 that she would stand to be deputy leader.^[6] Khalid Mahmood, the shadow Europe minister, announced his candidacy on 17 December 2019. The shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon announced that he would stand on 31 December 2019 with an article in Tribune.^[7][8]

Angela Rayner announced her candidacy on 6 January 2020.^[9]

On 9 January, Mahmood withdrew from the contest, saying it had become clear he was unlikely to win the support of the necessary 22 MPs or MEPs.^[10]

The five remaining deputy leadership candidates achieved the requisite 22 MP/MEP nominations by the 13 January deadline and proceeded to the next stage of the contest.^[11]

Candidates

Nominated by parliamentarians

The following individuals were nominated by the necessary number of Labour parliamentarians and were subject to receiving backing from the required number of constituency parties or affiliated organisations.

Candidate	Born	Political office	Campaign	Ref.
Rosena Allin-Khan	1 January 1977 (age 48) Tooting, London, England	Shadow Sport Minister (2016–2020) MP for Tooting (2016–present)	Website	[12]
Richard Burgon	19 September 1980 (age 44) Leeds, England	Shadow Justice Secretary (2016–2020) MP for Leeds East (2015–present)	Website Archived 26 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine	[7]
Dawn Butler	3 November 1969 (age 55) Newham, London, England	Shadow Equalities Secretary (2017–2020) MP for Brent Central (2015–present) Youth Minister (2009–2010) MP for Brent South (2005–2010)	Website[permanent dead link]	[13]
Ian Murray	10 August 1976 (age 49) Edinburgh, Scotland	MP for Edinburgh South (2010–present) Shadow Scotland Secretary (2015–16)	Website Archived 20 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine	[14]
Angela Rayner	28 March 1980 (age 45) Stockport, Greater Manchester, England	Shadow Education Secretary (2016–2020) MP for Ashton-under-Lyne (2015–present)	Website Archived 9 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine	[15]

Withdrawn

Candidate	Born	Political office	Withdrew	Ref.
Khalid Mahmood	13 July 1961 (age 64) Azad Kashmir, Pakistan	Shadow Europe Minister (2016–2021) MP for Birmingham Perry Barr (2001–2024)	9 January 2020 (nominated Allin-Khan)	[16][10]

Declined

• Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Health Secretary, MP for Leicester South^[17] (endorsed Rayner)^[17]
• Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee^[18] (endorsed Rayner)
• Barry Gardiner, Shadow International Trade Secretary (endorsed Rayner)^[9]
• Louise Haigh, Shadow Policing Minister (endorsed Rayner)^[9]
• Ian Lavery, chair of the Labour Party^[19] (endorsed Burgon)^[20]
• Conor McGinn, MP for St Helens North^[21][22] (endorsed Rayner)^[20]
• Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley^[23] (ran for leader)

Nominations

Main article: Nominations in the 2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election

Candidates first needed to be nominated by at least 10% (22) of current Labour MPs and MEPs, who comprise the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) and the European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP). Candidates who passed this threshold then need nominations from at least 5% (33) Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), or at least three affiliates including at least two trades unions that together represent at least 5% of affiliated members.^[5]

The table below shows the number of nominations achieved by each candidate.^[24] A green background indicates that the candidate has met the nomination requirements. A pink background indicates that the candidate has withdrawn from the contest.

Candidate	First stage Labour MPs and MEPs			Second stage
				Constituency Labour Parties			Affiliates
	Nominations	%		Nominations	%		Nominations
Angela Rayner	88 / 212	41.5%	Y	365 / 647	56.4%	Y	12 / 32	Y
Richard Burgon	22 / 212	10.4%	Y	77 / 647	11.9%	Y	5 / 32	Y
Dawn Butler	29 / 212	13.7%	Y	82 / 647	12.7%	Y	3 / 32 [a]	N
Ian Murray	34 / 212	16%	Y	60 / 647	9.3%	Y	3 / 32 [b]	N
Rosena Allin-Khan	23 / 212	10.8%	Y	56 / 647	8.7%	Y	3 / 32 [c]	N
Khalid Mahmood (withdrawn)	3 / 212 [d]	1.4%	N
Nominated	196 / 212	92.5%[e]		640 / 647	98.9%		26 / 32

1. Butler did not meet the threshold for Affiliates, but was nominated by a sufficient number of CLPs to qualify for the next round
2. Murray did not meet the threshold for Affiliates, but was nominated by a sufficient number of CLPs to qualify for the next round
3. Allin-Khan did not meet the threshold for Affiliates, but was nominated by a sufficient number of CLPs to qualify for the next round
4. After his withdrawal, Mahmood's backers both nominated another candidate
5. Excludes Mahmood's nominators

Endorsements

Candidates and potential candidates also received the support of notable people who are not current Labour Party MPs.

Rosena Allin-Khan

• Liz McInnes, former MP for Heywood and Middleton^[25]
• Melanie Onn, former MP for Great Grimsby^[26]

Richard Burgon

• Laura Pidcock, former MP for North West Durham^[27]
• Mark Serwotka, leader of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) trade union^[28]
• Dennis Skinner, former MP for Bolsover^[27]

Ian Murray

• Tony Blair, former Labour Party leader, and Prime Minister^[29]
• Gordon Brown, former Labour Party leader, and Prime Minister^[30]
• Alistair Darling, Labour peer, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and former MP for Edinburgh South West^[31]
• David Hanson, former MP for Delyn^[32]
• Roy Hattersley, Labour peer and former Deputy leader of the Labour Party^[31]
• Blair McDougall, political activist^[33]
• Ruth Smeeth, former MP for Stoke-on-Trent North^[34]
• Elizabeth Smith, Labour peer and wife of John Smith^[31]
• Anna Turley, former MP for Redcar^[35]
• Phil Wilson, former MP for Sedgefield^[36]

Angela Rayner

• Paul Sweeney, former MP for Glasgow North East^[37]
• Momentum^[38]
• Open Labour^[39]

Opinion polls

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	First preference
			Allin-Khan	Burgon	Butler	Murray	Rayner	Others	Lead
Result			16.8%	17.3%	10.9%	13.3%	41.7%	—	24.4%
21–24 February 2020	Survation/LabourList	1,005 Labour members, affiliates and registered supporters	17%	23%	10%	14%	35%	—	12%
20–25 January 2020	YouGov/The Times	1,005 Labour members	13%	19%	12%	9%	47%	—	28%
13–15 January 2020	YouGov/Sky News	1,005 Labour members	8%	15%	12%	8%	57%	—	42%
8–13 January 2020	Survation/LabourList	3,800 LabourList readers	5%	19%	8%	9%	60%	<1%	41%

Results

The result of the election as well as the corresponding contest for leader of the Labour Party was announced at 10:45 (BST) on 4 April 2020. The announcement was originally due to take place at a special conference in London, but because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic it was cancelled in favour of a "scaled-back event".^[40] Because of this, members would only find out the results by means of an email and coverage in the mainstream media.

Angela Rayner was elected.^[41] Rosena Allin-Khan came second, which was different from the results predicted by opinion polls.

Candidate	First round		Second round		Third round
	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%
Angela Rayner	192,168	41.7	209,698	46.5	228,944	52.6
Rosena Allin-Khan	77,351	16.8	88,049	19.5	113,858	26.1
Richard Burgon	80,053	17.3	88,664	19.7	92,643	21.3
Ian Murray	61,179	13.3	64,560	14.3	Eliminated
Dawn Butler	50,255	10.9	Eliminated

Timeline

Overview

Candidate status
	Active candidate
	Candidate withdrew
Events
	Watson announces resignation
	Nominations from the PLP and EPLP close
	Nominations from CLPs and affiliates open
	Nominations from CLPs and affiliates close
	Membership ballot opens
	Membership ballot closes
	Result announced

2019

November

• 6 November: Tom Watson resigns as deputy leader of the Labour Party and as MP for West Bromwich East
• 7 November: Dawn Butler announces her candidacy

December

• 12 December: Labour loses sixty seats in the 2019 United Kingdom general election
• 13 December: Jeremy Corbyn announces his resignation as leader of the Labour Party effective the outcome of the 2020 leadership election
• 17 December: Khalid Mahmood announces his candidacy
• 31 December: Richard Burgon announces his candidacy

2020

January

• 6 January: Angela Rayner announces her candidacy
• 7 January: Rosena Allin-Khan and Ian Murray announce their candidacies
• 9 January: Mahmood withdraws
• 13 January: MP/MEP nominations close, party announces that Allin-Khan, Burgon, Butler, Murray and Rayner all proceed to the next round
• 15 January: Nominations from CLPs and affiliates open

February

• 14 February: Nominations from CLPs and affiliates close
• 24 February: Labour members receive postal ballots and online voting forms

April

• 2 April: 12:00 – Voting closes
• 4 April: Result of the votes announced at 10:45^[42] and new Labour deputy leader announced

See also

• 2020 Labour Party leadership election
• 2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election
• Nominations in the 2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election
• Nominations in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election

Notes

1. Tom Watson stepped down as Deputy Leader on 12 December 2019.