John Smith (Labour Party leader)

John Smith  (13 September 1938 – 12 May 1994) was a British politician who was the leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his death from a heart attack. 

John Smith was born in the Scottish town of Dalmally in Argyll and Bute. He became a Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) at the 1970 General Election for the constituency of North Lanarkshire (Monklands East from 1983). In 1978, he was given a cabinet post however lost this after Labour's defeat at the 1979 General Election. He continued in the shadow cabinet until 1992, when Labour leader Neil Kinnock resigned and Smith was elected leader. During Smith's time as leader, opinion polls showed that Labour were becoming more likely to win an election than the Conservatives.

On 12 May 1994 in London, Smith died of a heart attack and was buried on the Scottish isle of Iona. Tony Blair replaced Smith as Labour leader on 21 July 1994.

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Category:1938 births
Category:1994 deaths
Category:British Protestants
Category:Calvinists
Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction
Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs
Category:Members of the British House of Commons for Scottish constituencies
Category:Leaders of the Labour Party (UK)
Category:Leaders of the Opposition (United Kingdom)
Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Category:Scottish Christians
Category:Secretaries of State of the United Kingdom
Category:UK MPs 1970–1974
Category:UK MPs 1974
Category:UK MPs 1974–1979
Category:UK MPs 1979–1983
Category:UK MPs 1983–1987
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Category:Scottish King's Counsel
Category:Politicians from Argyll and Bute