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1990
"What this country needs now is a radical new way of thinking. The Labour Party must accept that some monetarist policies are here to stay. However, that does not mean we completely abandon this country to Thatcherism and the many unfair aspects of it. We must reform ourselves in order to save ourselves."
When Dr. David Owen contested the 1990 Labour Party leadership after the party's third electoral defeat since 1979. While there had been steady gains in 1987's polling, the 1988 election proved again that the left had gotten its hopes up too high. Margaret Thatcher was returned again, even at a reduced majority thanks to a breakout performance by David Penhaligon's Liberals. Labour Party Leader Neil Kinnock felt severe pressure to resign among his senior colleagues, and eventually agreed to resign after an acrimonious 1989 Party Conference. Into the gap stepped several challengers.
The contest resembled the crowded 1976 field, although, having been out of government for so long, there were relatively few candidates with ministerial experience. Of the group that ran, only David Owen had cabinet level experience. The left's candidate, John Prescott, had only shadow cabinet experience. Another candidate, Margaret Beckett had been a minister in the Callaghan government.
Initially, Labour Party insiders were not particularly excited about the election. While Beckett was thought of as a reasonable choice, it was unlikely that she could stay on the ballot into the later rounds. Owen and Prescott were neither well liked, though Owen was preferred because of his experience and telegenity. Both were thought of by MPs as something of bully's. Owen was renowned for his ability to be rude or difficult, though he would apologize if he had caused offense. Prescott was an old fashioned, temperamental brawler. Still, even though few had reason to like him, most of Labour's more senior figures coalesced around Owen, figuring that Prescott would cause serious damage to the party and that Beckett would not survive past the early voting rounds.