101-735: The Barnsley Metrodome (Metrodome Leisure Complex) is a sports and leisure facility that was opened in 1989 by Neil Kinnock . The facility is 5 minutes from the Barnsley Interchange and close to Junction 37 off the M1. It is located along Queens Road, Barnsley , South Yorkshire , in England . It is regularly home to major worldwide ten-pin bowling events, such as the Weber Cup and World Tenpin Masters . The Metrodome played host to
202-705: A Scottish Parliament , an aim fulfilled by his successors following his death (most notably his close friend Donald Dewar ). 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. This happened in spite of
303-680: A false start , and to Holbeck Hall Hotel in Scarborough , which had recently collapsed off a cliff). During the same debate, Smith commented on a recent government defeat in the Newbury by-election to the Liberal Democrats , a poor showing in the local elections and a subsequent Cabinet reshuffle by saying that "if we were to offer that tale of events to the BBC Light Entertainment Department as
404-718: A 1992 policy document "to escape the Central Office shredder". He also performed very well in the July 1993 motion of confidence debate on the Conservative government. Despite his dispatch box successes (Smith was always more effective in the House of Commons than on platforms or at Prime Minister's Questions , though he began to improve at the latter towards the end of his life), Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were, under Smith's leadership, restless and privately anxious that
505-552: A Commissioner was due to expire on 30 October 2004, but was delayed owing to the withdrawal of the new Commissioners. During this second term of office on the Commission, he was responsible for introducing new staff regulations for EU officials, a significant feature of which was substantial salary cuts for everyone employed after 1 May 2004, reduced pension prospects for many others, and gradually worsening employment conditions. This made him disliked by many EU staff members, although
606-403: A Labour government. In September 1992, Smith made his maiden Commons speech as party leader, in which he attacked the government's ERM debacle eight days earlier – an event which was seen by many observers as playing a large part in determining the outcome of the next general election, long before it was even on the political horizon, as from that point onwards the Labour Party was ascendant in
707-510: A budget crisis in the Militant-dominated Liverpool City Council . Kinnock attacked Militant and their conduct in a speech delivered at the conference: I'll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions. They are then pickled into a rigid dogma, a code, and you go through the years sticking to that, outdated, misplaced, irrelevant to the real needs, and you end in
808-633: A by-election just over a year earlier. A few months after the general election, Kinnock gained brief attention in the United States in August 1987 when it was discovered that then-US Senator Joe Biden of Delaware (and future 46th President ) plagiarised one of Kinnock's speeches during his 1988 presidential campaign in a speech at a Democratic Party debate in Iowa . This led to Biden's withdrawal of his presidential campaign. The two men met after
909-409: A full recovery. Smith made modifications to his lifestyle by going on a diet of 1,000 calories, cutting down on rich foods and fine wines, giving up smoking and taking up Munro bagging . By the time of his death, he had succeeded in climbing 108 of the 277 Scottish Munros (mountains over 3,000 feet above sea level at the summit). His weight dropped from 15 stone 5 pounds (98 kg ) at
1010-611: A future general election. Although Kinnock had come from the Tribune left wing of the party, he parted company with many of his former allies following his appointment to the Shadow Cabinet. The Labour Party was also threatened by the rise of the Social Democratic Party / Liberal Alliance , which pulled out more centrist adherents. On a broader perspective, the traditional Labour voter was disappearing in
1111-560: A guest host of the programme. Kinnock announced his resignation as Leader of the Labour Party on 13 April 1992, ending nearly a decade in the role. John Smith , previously Shadow Chancellor, was elected on 18 July as his successor. Kinnock remained on the Advisory Council of the Institute for Public Policy Research , which he helped set up in the 1980s. Kinnock was an enthusiastic supporter of Ed Miliband 's campaign for
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#17328021367551212-667: A law officer. In October, he was made an Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Energy . In December 1975, he was made a Minister of State . Smith supported James Callaghan in the Labour Party leadership election after Wilson resigned in April 1976. When Callaghan became Prime Minister, Smith became a Minister of State at the Privy Council Office , serving with Labour's Deputy leader, Michael Foot ,
1313-416: A memorial service for Smith took place at Westminster Abbey and was attended by over 2,000 people. The Archbishop of Canterbury , George Carey , gave an address. Following Smith's death, the Labour Party renamed its Walworth Road headquarters John Smith House in his memory. Tony Blair , Smith's successor as Leader of the Labour Party, was an effective campaigner who capitalised on public mistrust of
1414-511: A narrow Labour victory or a hung parliament . Shortly afterwards, he resigned as Leader of the Labour Party; he was succeeded in the ensuing leadership election by John Smith . He left the House of Commons in 1995 to become a European Commissioner . He went on to become Vice-President of the European Commission under Romano Prodi from 1999 to 2004, before being elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Kinnock in 2005. Until
1515-490: A nationwide ballot. The NUM was widely regarded as the labour movement's praetorian guard and the strike convulsed the Labour movement. Kinnock supported the aim of the strike – which he dubbed the "case for coal" – but, as an MP from a mining area, was bitterly critical of the tactics employed. When heckled at a Labour Party rally for referring to the killing of David Wilkie as "an outrage", Kinnock lost his temper and accused
1616-437: A new statement of aims and values—meant to supplement and supplant the formulation of Clause IV of the party's constitution (though, crucially, this was not actually replaced until 1995 under the leadership of Tony Blair ) and was closely modelled on Anthony Crosland 's social-democratic thinking—emphasising equality rather than public ownership . At the same time, the Labour Party's commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament
1717-469: A number of supporters. The majority in the group were now disenchanted with entryism, and chose to function outside Labour's ranks, forming the Socialist Party . In the three years leading up to the 1992 general election , Labour had consistently topped the opinion polls, with 1991 seeing the Conservatives (rejuvenated by the arrival of a new leader with John Major the previous November) snatch
1818-515: A postgraduate diploma in education. Between August 1966 and May 1970, he worked as a tutor for a Workers' Educational Association (WEA). He married Glenys Kinnock in 1967. They have two children – son Stephen Kinnock (born January 1970, now a Labour MP), and daughter Rachel Kinnock (born 1971). Glenys died on 3 December 2023. In June 1969, Kinnock won the Labour Party nomination for Bedwellty in South Wales , which became Islwyn for
1919-409: A script for a programme, I think that the producers of Yes Minister would have turned it down as hopelessly over the top. It might have even been too much for Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em ". In the same speech, Smith also attacked the Conservatives' broken election promises (in particular Lamont's recent Budget decision to impose VAT on domestic energy bills) – claiming he possessed the last copy of
2020-475: A shock to many when the Conservatives won a majority, but the 'triumphalism' perceived by some observers of a Labour Party rally in Sheffield (together with Kinnock's performance on the podium) may have helped put floating voters off. Although internal polls suggested no impact, while public polls suggested a decline in support had already occurred, most of those directly involved in the campaign believe that
2121-487: A speech to that year's Welsh Labour Party conference asking why he was the "first Kinnock in a thousand generations" to go to university . On polling day, Labour easily took second place, but with only a 31% share of the vote to the SDP-Liberal Alliance's 22%. Labour was still more than ten percentage points behind the Conservatives, who retained a three-figure majority in the House of Commons . However,
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#17328021367552222-522: A transformation symbolised by a party election broadcast popularly known as "Kinnock: The Movie". This was directed by Hugh Hudson and featured Kinnock's 1985 conference speech, and shots of him and his wife Glenys walking on the Great Orme in Llandudno (so emphasising his appeal as a family man and associating him with images of Wales away from the coal mining communities where he grew up), and
2323-410: A working peer for practical political reasons." When his peerage was first announced, he said: "It will give me the opportunity ... to contribute to the national debate on issues like higher education , research, Europe and foreign policy." His peerage meant that the Labour and Conservative parties were equal in numbers in the upper house of Parliament (subsequently the number of Labour members overtook
2424-434: Is "a red herring" and that the same result would have happened without the rally. On the day of the general election, The Sun newspaper ran a front page featuring Kinnock with the headline 'If Kinnock wins today, will the last person to leave Britain please turn out the lights.' In his resignation speech , Kinnock blamed The Sun for Labour losing the election, along with other right-wing media sections who had backed
2525-497: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Neil Kinnock Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock , PC (born 28 March 1942) is a Welsh politician who was Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992 . He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1970 to 1995, first for Bedwellty and then for Islwyn . He was Vice-President of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. Kinnock
2626-419: Is all we ask". At 8:05am the following morning, whilst in his Barbican flat, Smith suffered a fatal heart attack. His wife phoned an ambulance and he was taken to St Bartholomew's Hospital where he died at 9:15am, having never regained consciousness. On 28 April, a fortnight before his death, Smith had visited the same accident and emergency department to campaign against its proposed closure; it had also been
2727-542: The 1964 general election . 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 Peggy Herbison . 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
2828-650: The 1983 general election . He was first elected to the House of Commons on 18 June 1970, and became a member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party in October 1978. Upon his becoming an MP, his father said "Remember Neil, MP stands not just for Member of Parliament, but also for Man of Principle." In the 1975 referendum on Britain's membership of the European Communities , Kinnock campaigned for Britain to leave
2929-455: The 1987 general election . Although Thatcher had won another landslide, Labour regained sufficient seats for Kinnock to remain Leader of the Opposition following the election. Kinnock led the Labour Party to a surprise fourth consecutive defeat at the 1992 general election , despite the party being ahead of John Major 's Conservative government in most opinion polls, which had predicted either
3030-614: The Cabinet towards the end of James Callaghan 's tenure as Prime Minister, as Secretary of State for Trade and President of the Board of Trade (1978–1979). During Labour's time in Opposition to Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative government, he rose through the Shadow Cabinet , as Shadow Secretary of State for Trade (1979–1982), Energy (1982–1983), Employment (1983–1984), Trade and Industry (1984–1987) and Shadow Chancellor of
3131-601: The Fulham seat in West London from the Conservatives at an April by-election. Labour, now sporting a continental social democratic style emblem of a rose (replacing the party's first logo, the Liberty logo), appeared to be able to run the governing Conservatives close, but Margaret Thatcher did not let Labour's makeover go unchallenged. The Conservatives's 1986 conference was well-managed, and effectively relaunched
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3232-633: The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons . In this position, Smith piloted the highly controversial devolution proposals for Scotland and Wales through the House of Commons . Smith's adroit handling of these proposals impressed Callaghan, and in November 1978, when Edmund Dell retired, Callaghan appointed Smith Secretary of State for Trade . In this post, Smith
3333-542: The Westland controversy during which Leon Brittan resigned, and the second time in November 1989 for taking Nigel Lawson to task over the state of the economy and over his difficult relationship with Sir Alan Walters , the Prime Minister's economic adviser. Smith made two notably witty attacks on Lawson that year. On 7 June 1989, he sang the theme tune for the soap Neighbours at the dispatch box, lampooning
3434-499: The 165 it actually won) in the House of Commons, leaving the Conservatives in a position similar to that of Labour following the 1983 general election . Smith was married to Elizabeth Bennett from 5 July 1967 until his death. Elizabeth Smith was created Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill in 1995. They had three daughters, one of whom, Sarah Smith , later served as the Washington correspondent for Channel 4 News and has worked for
3535-524: The 1992 election (while he was still shadow chancellor), most memorably when he labelled "irresponsible" Conservative plans for cutting income tax to 20 per cent, and joked at a Labour Party rally in Sheffield that the Conservatives would have a box-office disaster with "Honey, I Shrunk the Economy" – in reference to the recent Disney motion picture Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – mocking the recession which
3636-578: The 2006, 2007, and 2008 World Tenpin Masters and the Weber Cup . The facility is home to Calypso Cove Waterpark, Metrodome Bowling, and Your Space Metrodome. The facility also hosts events on the Professional Darts Corporation ’s Pro Tour. The facility is operated by BPL, a not-for-profit leisure trust established in 1999. 53°33′16″N 1°28′15″W / 53.5544°N 1.4707°W / 53.5544; -1.4707 This article about an English sports venue
3737-527: The Common Market. Following Labour's defeat at the 1979 general election , James Callaghan appointed Kinnock to the Shadow cabinet as education spokesman. His ambition was noted by other MPs, and David Owen 's opposition to the changes to the electoral college was thought to be motivated by the realisation that they would favour Kinnock's succession. Kinnock remained as education spokesman following
3838-600: The Conservative Party to win a landslide victory at the 1997 general election . Smith's biographer, Mark Stuart, said that Smith could have won Labour a victory on a scale similar to that achieved by Blair because of the combination of the Black Wednesday debacle and internal Conservative Party divisions over Europe since 1992; estimating that, in the absence of the "Blair effect", the Conservative Party would have held slightly over 200 seats (rather than
3939-579: The Conservative government's majority had come down from 144 seats in 1983 to 102. Significantly, Labour had gained twenty seats at the election. Labour won extra seats in Scotland , Wales and Northern England , but lost ground particularly in Southern England and London , where the Conservatives still dominated. The Conservatives also regained the Fulham seat which it had lost to Labour at
4040-521: The Conservatives as a party of radical free-market economic liberalism . Labour suffered from a persistent image of extremism, especially as Kinnock's campaign to root out Militant dragged on as figures on the hard left of the party tried to stop its progress. Opinion polls showed that voters favoured retaining the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons , (Labour's policy, supported by Kinnock, was of unilateral nuclear disarmament ), and believed that
4141-561: The Conservatives at the 1989 European elections , winning 40% of the vote; the first time Labour had finished in first place at a national election in fifteen years. In December 1989, Kinnock abandoned the Labour policy on closed shops —a decision seen by many as a move away from traditional socialist policies to a more European-wide agenda, and also a move to rid the party of its image of being run by trade unions . Michael Heseltine challenged Thatcher's leadership and she resigned on 28 November 1990 to be succeeded by then- Chancellor of
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4242-477: The Conservatives had caused deindustrialisation and that a Labour government would increase investment, and therefore employment. Smith received over 50 per cent of the vote in Monklands East, but Labour lost badly nationally. Smith then acted as Roy Hattersley 's campaign manager in the leadership election and the deputy leadership election . After serving a year as Shadow Employment Secretary , Smith
4343-492: The Conservatives in the opinion polls (an Ipsos MORI poll in April 1990 had actually shown Labour as being more than 20 points ahead of the Conservatives), but many opinion polls were actually showing the Conservatives with a higher amount of support than Labour, in spite of the deepening recession . By now Militant had finally been routed in the party, and their two MPs were expelled at the end of 1991, in addition to
4444-637: The Conservatives in the run-up to the election. The following day's headline in The Sun was ' It's The Sun Wot Won It ', which Rupert Murdoch – many years later, at his April 2012 appearance before the Leveson Inquiry – stated was both 'tasteless and wrong' and led to the editor Kelvin MacKenzie receiving a reprimand. The Labour-supporting Daily Mirror had backed Kinnock for the 1987 general election and did so again in 1992. Less expected
4545-616: The Conservatives would be better than Labour at defending the country. In early 1987, Labour lost a by-election in Greenwich to the SDP 's Rosie Barnes . As a result, Labour faced the 1987 general election in some danger of finishing third in the popular vote, with the Conservatives once again expected to secure a comfortable victory. In secret, Labour's aim was to secure second place in order to remain as Official Opposition . Mandelson and his team had revolutionised Labour's communications –
4646-586: The Exchequer (1987–1992). After Labour leader Neil Kinnock resigned following the Party's surprise loss in the 1992 general election to new Conservative leader John Major , Smith was elected his successor in July 1992. He continued Kinnock's moves to reform Labour, abolishing the trade union block vote at Labour Party Conferences and replacing it with " one member, one vote " at the 1993 party conference. However, his overall cautious approach to reform, which
4747-496: The Exchequer , John Major . Kinnock greeted Thatcher's resignation by describing it as "very good news" and demanded an immediate general election. Public reaction to Major's elevation was highly positive. A new Prime Minister and the fact that Kinnock was now the longest-serving current leader of a major party reduced the impact of calls for "Time for a Change". Neil Kinnock's showing in the opinion polls dipped; before Thatcher's resignation, Labour had been up to 10 points ahead of
4848-443: The Labour Party finally expelled the deputy leader of Liverpool council, the high-profile Militant supporter Derek Hatton , who was found guilty of "manipulating the rules of the district Labour party". By 1986, the party's position appeared to strengthen further with excellent local election results and a thorough rebranding of the party under the direction of Kinnock's director of communications Peter Mandelson , as well as seizing
4949-476: The Labour government was in favour of devolution for Wales . Kinnock was one of just six MPs in South Wales who campaigned against devolution, and personally backed an amendment to the Wales Act stating that devolution would require not only a simple majority , but also the backing of 40% of the entire electorate. He later clarified that he supports devolution in principle, but found the proposed settlement at
5050-563: The Labour whips in joining Labour MPs led by Roy Jenkins to vote in favour of entry to the European Communities . These included Roy Hattersley , Shirley Williams , Bill Rodgers and David Owen , with all of whom he was later to sit in the Callaghan cabinet . In February 1974, Smith declined Harold Wilson 's offer of the office of Solicitor General for Scotland , not wishing his political career to become side-lined as
5151-514: The Leadership of the Labour Party in 2010, and was reported as telling activists, when Miliband won, "We've got our party back" – although Miliband, like Kinnock, failed to lead the party back into government, and resigned after the Conservatives were re-elected with a small majority in 2015 . Labour received their lowest seat tally under Miliband since the 1987 general election; when Kinnock was leader at that time. In 2011, he participated in
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#17328021367555252-569: The Welsh family history television programme Coming Home where he discovered hitherto unknown information about his family. Kinnock was appointed one of the UK's two members of the European Commission , which he served first as Transport Commissioner under President Jacques Santer , in early 1995; marking the end of his 25 years in the House of Commons. This came less than a year after
5353-483: The attitude to the court actions, the NUM leadership ensured that they would face crippling damages as a consequence. To the question: "How did this position arise?", the man from the lodge in my constituency said: "It arose because nobody really thought it out." In 2004, Kinnock said of Scargill, "Oh I detest him. I did then, I do now, and it's mutual. He hates me as well. And I'd much prefer to have his savage hatred than even
5454-712: The autumn he had insisted that there would be no general election in 1991. Labour had gained four seats from the Conservatives in by-elections since the 1987 general election , having initially suffered disappointing results in some by-elections, namely a loss of the Govan constituency in Glasgow to the Scottish National Party in November 1988. However, by the end of 1991, the Conservative majority still stood at 88 seats and Labour needed to win more than ninety new seats to gain an overall majority, although there
5555-424: The comfortable Labour lead in the opinion polls wiped out and in the 17 months leading up to the election, its outcome had become much harder to predict. Much of the blame had been placed on Labour's "shadow budget" drawn up by Smith, which included raising the top rate of income tax from 40p in the pound to 50p, and the Conservative election campaign was centred on warning voters that they would face higher taxes under
5656-728: The competition was renamed the John Smith Memorial Mace in his honour. In 1963, he became a solicitor and then in 1967, an advocate at the Scottish bar , supplementing his income by working as a libel lawyer for the Daily Record and the Sunday Mail . Smith first stood as a Labour parliamentary candidate aged 23 at a by-election in 1961 in the East Fife constituency ; he contested that seat again in
5757-521: The continuing presence of ninety hereditary peers and appointment by patronage, by asserting that the Lords was a good base for campaigning. On 28 January 2005, he was created a life peer as Baron Kinnock, of Bedwellty in the County of Gwent , and was introduced to the House of Lords on 31 January 2005. On assuming his seat, he stated: "I accepted the kind invitation to enter the House of Lords as
5858-595: The death of his successor, John Smith and the election of Tony Blair as the party's new leader. He was obliged to resign as part of the forced, collective resignation of the Commission in 1999. He was re-appointed to the Commission under new President Romano Prodi . He now became one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Commission, with responsibility for Administrative Reform and the Audit, Linguistics and Logistics Directorates General. His term of office as
5959-438: The differences between Lawson and Walters, who was critical of Lawson's policies but whom Thatcher refused to sack. Then, on 24 October, he made another scathing attack on the differences. Two days later, Lawson resigned, followed shortly afterwards by Walters. Smith suffered a heart attack on 9 October 1988, and was forced to spend three months away from Westminster to recover. On that occasion, he had complained of chest pains
6060-427: The eldest of three children of Sarah Cameron, née Scott (29 July 1910 – 11 January 1997), and Archibald Leitch Smith (18 June 1907 – 1981). At the time of Smith's birth, his father was schoolmaster at Portnahaven , Islay ; however, two years later he became the headmaster of the primary school at Ardrishaig , Argyll, which Smith went on to attend. From September 1952, Smith attended Dunoon Grammar School , lodging in
6161-500: The end of October, it was announced that he would become a Member of the House of Lords (intending to be a working peer), when he was able to leave his EU responsibilities. In 1977, he had remained in the House of Commons, with Dennis Skinner , while other MPs walked to the Lords to hear the Queen's speech opening the new parliament. He had dismissed going to the Lords in recent interviews. Kinnock explained his change of attitude, despite
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#17328021367556262-478: The face of de-industrialisation that the Conservative government had accepted since 1979. Kinnock focused on modernising the party, and upgrading its technical skills such as use of the media and keeping track of voters, while at the same time battling the Militants. Under his leadership, the Labour Party abandoned unpopular old positions, especially the nationalisation of certain industries, although this process
6363-406: The following month aged 61. In 1953, at eleven years old, Kinnock began his secondary education at Lewis School, Pengam , which he later criticised for its record on caning . He went on to the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in Cardiff (now Cardiff University), where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in Industrial Relations and History. The following year, Kinnock obtained
6464-456: The grotesque chaos of a Labour council – a Labour council – hiring taxis to scuttle round a city handing out redundancy notices to its own workers ... I am telling you, no matter how entertaining, how fulfilling to short-term egos – you can't play politics with people's jobs and with people's services or with their homes. One Liverpool MP, Eric Heffer , a member of the NEC left the conference stage in disgust at Kinnock's comments. In June 1986,
6565-438: The hecklers of "living like parasites off the struggle of the miners" and implied that Scargill had lied to the striking miners. In 1985, he made his criticisms public in a speech to Labour's conference: The strike wore on. The violence built up because the single tactic chosen was that of mass picketing, and so we saw policing on a scale and with a system that has never been seen in Britain before. The court actions came, and by
6666-421: The incident, forming a lasting friendship. The second period of Kinnock's leadership was dominated by his drive to reform the party's policies to gain office. This began with an exercise dubbed the policy review , the most high-profile aspect of which was a series of consultations with the public known as " Labour Listens " in the autumn of 1987. Following Labour Listens, the party went on, in 1988, to produce
6767-437: The lead from Labour more than once before Labour regained it. The rise in Conservative support came in spite of the economic recession and sharp rise in unemployment which affected Britain in 1991. Since Major's election as Leader of the Conservative Party (and becoming Prime Minister), Kinnock had spent the end of 1990 and most of 1991 putting pressure on Major to call a general election that year, but Major had held out and by
6868-448: The merest hint of friendship from that man." Kinnock blamed Scargill for some of the mine closures. The strike's defeat early in the year, and the bad publicity associated with the entryism practised by the Trotskyist Militant group were the immediate context for the 1985 Labour Party conference. Earlier in the year, left-wing councils had protested at Government restriction of their budgets by refusing to set budgets, resulting in
6969-433: The night before and had to be persuaded to cancel a flight to London so he could go to hospital for a check-up. He was examined at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by an ECG . The doctor who examined him said, "Whatever it is, we don't think it is your heart". Then, Smith suddenly collapsed and was briefly unconscious before coming around. He spent three days in intensive care before leaving hospital on 20 October 1988 and made
7070-421: The number of Conservative members for many years). Kinnock was a long-time critic of the House of Lords, and his acceptance of a peerage led him to be accused of hypocrisy, by Will Self , among others. Kinnock is a supporter of Welsh devolution, with proposals for a Welsh Assembly included in the Labour Party's 1992 manifesto when he was leader. However, in the build up to the 1979 Welsh devolution referendum ,
7171-474: The opinion polls, winning several seats from the Conservatives in by-elections (eventually even attracting a Conservative MP to defect to Labour) and trouncing them in local council elections. In this speech, he referred to John Major as "the devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government". At Labour's party conference, Smith branded Major and Norman Lamont the " Laurel and Hardy of British politics". This echoed his attacks on Major's government made before
7272-402: The party had adopted a " One more heave " approach and had become over-cautious in tackling the legacy of " tax and spend ". Despite this, during his time as leader of the Labour Party, Smith abolished the trade union block vote at Labour Party Conferences and replaced it with " One member, one vote " at the 1993 party conference. He also committed a future Labour government to establishing
7373-658: The pressure on budgets that largely drove these changes had actually been imposed on the Commission from above by the Member States in Council. In February 2004, it was announced that with effect from 1 November 2004, Kinnock would become head of the British Council . Coincidentally, at the same time, his son Stephen became head of the British Council branch in Saint Petersburg , Russia. At
7474-423: The previous three. They had cut the Conservative majority from 102 seats to 21, and for most of the three years leading up to the election, opinion polls had indicated that Labour were more likely to win the election than the Conservatives. The resignation of long-serving but increasingly unpopular Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher , and the well-received election of John Major as her successor, had seen
7575-415: The rally only came to widespread attention after the electoral defeat itself, with Kinnock himself changing his mind to a rejection of its negative impact over time. In an essay exploring why Kinnock never became Prime Minister, Steve Richards notes that the impact of the rally on the 1992 election "acquired a mythological status as fatal event" after Labour's defeat. He further argues that this explanation
7676-445: The resignation of Callaghan as Leader of the Labour Party and the election of Michael Foot as his successor in late 1980. In 1981, while still serving as Labour's education spokesman, Kinnock was alleged to have effectively scuppered Tony Benn 's attempt to replace Denis Healey as Labour's Deputy Leader by first supporting the candidacy of the more traditionalist Tribunite John Silkin and then urging Silkin supporters to abstain on
7777-513: The rhetoric of class warfare. These actions meant that Kinnock had made plenty of enemies on the left wing of the party by the time he was elected as leader, though a substantial number of former Bennites gave him strong support. He was almost immediately in serious difficulty as a result of Arthur Scargill 's decision to lead his union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) into a national strike (in opposition to pit closures) without
7878-411: The right of the party formed the breakaway Social Democratic Party , remarking: "I am comfortable with the unions. They aren't. That's the big difference". Smith voted for Healey in the deputy leadership election of September 1981. He became a QC in 1983, the same year that his constituency became Monklands East . During the 1983 general election , Smith concentrated on unemployment, arguing that
7979-450: The scene, and being ahead in the opinion polls. In the end, though, Kinnock won a decisive victory over Benn and would soon enjoy a substantial rise in support. The policy review — reporting in 1989 —coincided with Labour's move ahead in the polls as the poll tax row was destroying Conservative support, and Labour won big victories in local council elections as well as several parliamentary by-elections during 1989 and 1990. Labour overtook
8080-532: The second, run-off, ballot. Kinnock was known as a left-winger , and gained prominence for his attacks on Margaret Thatcher 's handling of the Falklands War in 1982. Following Labour's landslide defeat at the 1983 general election , Michael Foot resigned as Leader of the Labour Party aged 69, and from the outset; it was expected that the much younger Kinnock would succeed him. He was finally elected as Labour Party leader on 2 October 1983, with 71% of
8181-431: The strong economic recovery and reduction of unemployment which had followed the declaration of the recession's end in April 1993. In May 1994, a poll estimated that the Labour Party was on average 23 points ahead of the Conservative Party. On the evening of 11 May 1994, with around 500 people present, Smith made a speech at a fundraising dinner at Park Lane Hotel , London, saying "The opportunity to serve our country—that
8282-483: The subject of his questions at Prime Minister's Questions later that day. The doctor who had served as his tour guide, Professor Mike Besser, tried unsuccessfully to save Smith's life, and announced his death at a press conference hours later. In response to his death, the Speaker of the House of Commons Betty Boothroyd recalled Parliament to give MPs the opportunity to pay tribute to him. Prime Minister John Major
8383-483: The summer of 2009, he was also the chairman of the British Council and the president of Cardiff University . Kinnock, an only child, was born in Tredegar , Wales on Saturday 28 March 1942. His father, Gordon Herbert Kinnock was a former coal miner who later worked as a labourer; and his mother Mary Kinnock (née Howells) was a district nurse. Gordon died of a heart attack in November 1971 aged 64; Mary died
8484-525: The time as failing to address the economic disparities in the UK, particularly following the closure of coal mines in Wales . In 2023, Kinnock supported a paper outlining an expanded devolution settlement by Centre Think Tank called "Devolution Revolution" which he described as "offering a clear route map towards workable and fair devolution for the whole of the UK". John Smith (Labour Party leader) John Smith QC (13 September 1938 – 12 May 1994)
8585-420: The time of the first heart attack, to 12 stone 10 pounds (81 kg) when he returned to Parliament on 23 January 1989. Following Labour's fourth consecutive defeat at the general election of April 1992 , Neil Kinnock resigned as leader and Smith was elected Labour leader. Although Labour had now been out of power for 13 years, their performance in the 1992 election had been much better than in
8686-689: The town with a landlady and going home during the school holidays, before enrolling at the University of Glasgow . He studied History from 1956 to 1959, and then Law , from 1959 to 1962. He joined the Labour Party in 1955. Smith became involved in debating with the Glasgow University Dialectic Society and the Glasgow University Union , and in 1962 won The Observer Mace debating competition, speaking with Gordon Hunter. In 1995, after his death,
8787-504: The usual half-hour. This replaced the medical drama which was due to follow at 9:30, coincidentally entitled Cardiac Arrest . During Question Time that evening, panellists paid tribute to Smith instead of debating. George Robertson and Menzies Campbell were among the participants. On 20 May 1994, following a public funeral service in Cluny Parish Church, Edinburgh , which was attended by almost 1,000 people, Smith
8888-460: The vote, and Roy Hattersley was elected as his deputy; their prospective partnership was considered to be a "dream ticket". His first period as party leader between the 1983 and 1987 general elections was dominated by his struggle with the hard-left Militant tendency , then still a dominant force in the party. Kinnock was determined to move the party's political standing to a more centrist position, in order to improve its chances of winning
8989-472: Was Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry between late 1984 and 1987. Smith was appointed Shadow Chancellor by Neil Kinnock in July 1987 following the Labour Party's general election defeat. Despite a quiet, modest manner and his politically moderate stance, he was a witty, often scathing speaker. Smith was named as Parliamentarian of the Year twice: first in November 1986 for his performances during
9090-452: Was a Scottish politician who was Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his death in May 1994. He was also Member of Parliament (MP) for Monklands East . Smith first entered Parliament in 1970 and, following junior ministerial roles as Minister of State for Energy (1975–1976) and Minister of State for the Privy Council Office (1976–1978), he entered
9191-478: Was buried in a private family service on the island of Iona , at the sacred burial ground of Reilig Odhráin, where many early Scottish and Norse kings are said to be buried. His grave is marked with an epitaph quoting the Fourth Epistle of An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope : "An honest man's the noblest work of God". His close friend Donald Dewar acted as one of Smith's pallbearers. On 14 July 1994,
9292-423: Was considered to be on the soft left of the Labour Party. Born and raised in South Wales , Kinnock was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1970 general election . He became the Labour Party's shadow education minister after the Conservatives won power in the 1979 general election . After the party under Michael Foot suffered a landslide defeat to Margaret Thatcher in the 1983 election , Kinnock
9393-539: Was dropped, and reforms of Party Conference and the National Executive meant that local parties lost much of their ability to influence policy. In 1988, Kinnock was challenged by Tony Benn for the party leadership. Later many identified this as a particularly low period in Kinnock's leadership — as he appeared mired in internal battles after five years of leadership with the Conservatives still dominating
9494-434: Was dubbed " one more heave ", sought to avoid controversy and win the next election by capitalising on the unpopularity of the Conservative government. This frustrated Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as well as Peter Mandelson . Following Smith's sudden death in May 1994, he was succeeded as leader by Blair, who led the party to victory at the next general election in 1997. Smith was born at Baddarroch, Dalmally , Argyll ,
9595-515: Was elected Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition. During his tenure as leader, Kinnock proceeded to fight the party's left wing , especially the Militant tendency , and he opposed NUM leader Arthur Scargill 's methods in the 1984–1985 miners' strike . He led the party during most of the Thatcher government , which included its third successive election defeat when Thatcher won
9696-489: Was not completed until future party leader Tony Blair revamped Clause IV in the party's manifesto in 1995. He stressed economic growth, which had a much broader appeal to the middle class than the idea of redistributing wealth to benefit the poor. He accepted membership in the European Economic Community , whereas the party had pledged immediate withdrawal from it under Michael Foot . He discarded
9797-463: Was plaguing the British economy at the time. In a June 1993 debate, Smith again savaged the Conservative government, saying that under John Major 's premiership, "the man with the non- Midas touch is in charge. It is no wonder that we live in a country where the Grand National does not start and hotels fall into the sea" (in reference to the 1993 Grand National , which was cancelled after
9898-414: Was still the hope of forming a minority or coalition government if Labour failed to win a majority. In the run-up to the election, held on 9 April 1992, most opinion polls had suggested that the election would result in either a hung parliament or a small Labour majority. At the 1992 general election , Labour made considerable progress – reducing the Conservatives' majority to just 21 seats. It came as
9999-468: Was the Financial Times backing Kinnock at the 1992 general election. Kinnock himself later claimed to have half-expected his defeat at the 1992 general election and proceeded to turn himself into a media personality, hosting a chat show on BBC Wales and twice appearing on the topical panel show Have I Got News for You within a year of the defeat. Many years later, he returned to appear as
10100-468: Was the first who paid tribute, including the line that he and Smith "would share a drink: sometimes tea, sometimes not tea". It was reported that there was weeping in the chamber. MPs from across the house also paid tribute to him, including Margaret Beckett , Paddy Ashdown , Neil Kinnock and Dennis Skinner . On the day of his death, the BBC Nine O'Clock News was extended to an hour as opposed to
10201-460: Was the youngest member of the cabinet, and served there until the 1979 general election . Smith was voted to the Shadow Cabinet in the elections of June 1979 and would be re-elected every year until 1992. Smith became Shadow Energy Secretary . In the Labour leadership election of November 1980, Smith voted for Denis Healey over Michael Foot . Smith remained in the Labour Party after figures on
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