After the surprise defeat of the Third Labour Government in 1975 Tizard remained on the front bench as both Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister of Finance. On 1 November 1979 he was challenged for the deputy leadership by David Lange the new MP for Mangere. Lange succeeded in the challenge, narrowly defeating Tizard 20 votes to 18. Tizard did not take the defeat graciously, repeatedly referring in the caucus meeting to colleagues who voted against him as 'bastards'. Tizard even went as far as to tell Lange "I will never vote for you while your arsehole points to the ground".