John Smith’s career embodied loyalty, pragmatism, and principle. A skilled debater and a steady presence in turbulent political times, Smith rose through Labour’s ranks to become party leader in the early 1990s. His sudden death in 1994 shocked the country and left many convinced that Britain had lost a Prime Minister in waiting.
Breaking Through in 1970
After two failed attempts, Smith finally entered Parliament in 1970, winning the North Lanarkshire seat. He quickly made his mark by joining 68 Labour rebels who defied the party whip to support Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community.
It was the only deliberate rebellion of his career. He explained his reasoning in a Commons speech that year: “Economic forces must somehow be brought under popular control and be fashioned towards social and political ends which the people determine. If we do not enter Europe, we shall not be in a position to control them.”
From the outset, Smith displayed independence of thought but never recklessness — a balance that would define his politics.
Youngest in Cabinet
In the 1976 leadership contest, Smith backed James Callaghan, who rewarded him with a place in Cabinet. At 38, he was one of the youngest Cabinet members of the era — and, in time, the last of that Cabinet still active in frontline politics.
Smith worked under Michael Foot, handling the divisive devolution legislation that consumed more parliamentary time than any bill since Indian independence. He proved his ability to cooperate with colleagues across Labour’s ideological spectrum, having also worked with Tony Benn on establishing the British National Oil Corporation.
Later appointed Secretary of State for Trade, Smith continued to build a reputation as a competent and pragmatic minister.
Surviving the Wilderness Years
Following Labour’s defeat in 1979, Smith’s seat was abolished, and from 1983 he represented Monklands East, which he held until his death.
During Labour’s long years in opposition, Smith became a permanent fixture at the top of Shadow Cabinet elections, finishing in the top dozen every year for 13 years straight. He placed second on three occasions — 1986, 1988, and 1989 — and topped the poll in 1990 with 141 votes.
In the meantime, he cycled through major briefs: Shadow Energy, Employment, and Trade Secretary. His sharp parliamentary skills earned him Parliamentarian of the Year in 1986, particularly for his scathing speeches during the Westland affair, which he described as “a sorry tale of woeful incompetence.”
Shadow Chancellor and First Heart Attack
In 1987, after Labour’s election defeat, Smith reached his highest position yet — Shadow Chancellor. He was seen as a moderate voice in a party trying to modernise and recover after heavy losses. His working relationship with Neil Kinnock was sometimes uneasy, but Smith was regarded as a reliable anchor.
It was during this period that Smith suffered his first heart attack. Though he recovered, it would prove a chilling precursor to the tragedy that followed later in his career.
The 1992 Election and Its Fallout
Smith’s most controversial moment as Shadow Chancellor came before the 1992 general election. His “shadow budget” proposed raising the top rate of tax to 50p and increasing National Insurance contributions for higher earners. The press branded it the “politics of envy,” and many analysts later argued it cost Labour victory.
Yet when Neil Kinnock resigned after that defeat, Smith was the clear favourite to succeed him. Popular with voters and respected within the party, he swept the leadership contest with 91% of the vote, easily defeating Bryan Gould. Margaret Beckett became his deputy.
A Master in Opposition
As Labour leader, Smith combined moderation with devastating wit. His performances in the Commons regularly cut through Conservative defences.
On Black Wednesday in 1992, when sterling was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, Smith pounced. Having supported ERM membership earlier, he mocked Prime Minister John Major as “the man with the non-Midas touch.”
During the 1993 vote of no confidence in Major’s government, Smith described him as “backed against the wall and forced to threaten his own party with electoral suicide.” His authority as a seasoned parliamentarian made him a formidable opponent.
Reforming Labour
Though sometimes portrayed as a cautious “one more heave” leader, Smith did not shy from important reforms.
At the 1993 Labour Party Conference, he successfully abolished the trade union block vote, replacing it with “one member, one vote” in leadership elections. Neil Kinnock had attempted and failed to push through similar reforms a decade earlier.
Smith also endorsed all-women shortlists to tackle chronic underrepresentation in Parliament. Beyond party rules, he laid out a broader constitutional vision, calling for a “citizen’s democracy” and even a written constitution.
Momentum by 1994
Labour’s prospects brightened dramatically under Smith’s leadership. The Conservatives endured their worst local election results in three decades, while Labour surged to a 20-point lead in opinion polls.
Smith’s steady hand reassured voters tired of Tory division, while his reforms showed that Labour was modernising without discarding its principles.
A Sudden End
On 12 May 1994, John Smith suffered a fatal heart attack at his London home. He was just 55.
His death stunned Britain. He became the first post-war leader of a major party never to contest a general election. Newspapers captured the grief: The Daily Express called it “The Day Grown Men Cried,” while The Daily Mirror devoted 17 pages to tribute, calling him “The Best Prime Minister We Never Had.” The Guardian praised his “personal ascendancy unmatched by any Labour leader since Clement Attlee.”
In Parliament, tributes poured in. Prime Minister John Major described him as “one of the outstanding parliamentarians of modern politics”, adding: “When I think of John Smith, I think of an opponent, not an enemy. And when I remember him, I shall do so with respect and affection.”
Legacy
Smith’s passing opened the way for Tony Blair to win the Labour leadership, with Gordon Brown as his close ally. Together, they created “New Labour” and delivered the 1997 landslide.
But many still argue Smith would have led Labour to a similar triumph, without the need for such radical rebranding. He represented steadiness, principle, and loyalty in an age of upheaval.
For supporters, he remains the leader who could have changed Britain’s political course had fate not intervened. His epitaph is written in the tributes of colleagues and opponents alike: John Smith was the Prime Minister Britain never had, but one it almost certainly would have.
