John Smith (Labour Party leader) John Smith (Labour Party leader) John Smith (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. Smith first entered Parliament in 1970 and, after junior ministerial roles as Minister of State for Energy (1975–1976) and Minister of State for the Privy Council Office (1976–1977), he entered the Cabinet at the end of James Callaghan's tenure as Prime Minister, serving as Secretary of State for Trade and President of the Board of Trade (1978–1979). During Labour's time
1988 Labour Party (UK) leadership election majority, Kinnock remained leader of the Labour Party. In the deputy leadership election, the incumbent deputy, Roy Hattersley, was victorious. In a television interview on the night of the victory, Kinnock said it was "a very positive vote for unity and for change", as he intended to use the vote as a mandate for policy changes he sought to bring in. Kinnock and Hattersley remained as leader and deputy leader respectively through the 1992 general election. After Labour was defeated in the polls, Kinnock announced his resignation on 13 April 1992, and Hattersley followed shortly afterwards. Kinnock blamed the defeat