History of the Labour Party (UK) 1983 election, Labour suffered a landslide defeat, winning only 27.6% of the vote and securing just 209 seats. This was their worst performance at a general election since 1918. Labour won only half a million votes more than the SDP-Liberal Alliance, which had attracted the votes of many moderate Labour supporters, although the Alliance only won 23 seats. Michael Foot criticised the Alliance for "siphoning" Labour support and allowing the Tories to win more seats. Michael Foot resigned and was replaced as leader by Neil Kinnock who was elected on 2 October 1983 and progressively moved the party towards the
Labour Party Conference (UK) Labour Party Conference (UK) The Labour Party Conference, or annual national conference of the Labour Party, is formally the supreme decision-making body of the Party. The conference is traditionally held on the final week in September, during the British party conference season, when the House of Commons is in recess, and after the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats have held their conferences. Labour is one of few British parties to use their annual gathering for voting and policy resolution. The conference opens on a Sunday and finishes the following Wednesday usually with an address for the Deputy Leader of the