Mr Healey stands as sixth candidate

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34107, 20 March 1976, Page 15

Mr Healey stands as sixth candidate

(iVetu Zealand Press Association) LONDON, March 19. I All the hypothetical calculations about the ballots to determine the successor to Mr i Wilson as the Labour leader and presunip- | tive Prime Minister were scrapped last night , when Mr Healey, the Chancellor of the I Exchequer, announced his intention to stand, i

He makes the sixth candidate now on offer to the 317 1 Labour members of Parlia- : ment who form the electorate. Mr Healey declared him(self after carefully considering his present and future position. It may be doubted whether he can beat Mr Callaghan, the Foreign and !Commonwealth Secretarv. or i even Mr Jenkins, the Home Secretary, but like two other candidates he has to put j down his marker for the not too distant future as a potential party leader. Until Mr Healey’s candidature was umoured. the Callaghan camp, had an initial canvass of the Parliamentary Labour Party showing Mr Callaghan leading on the first ballot. Of the 317 valid votes he was thought to be capable( of taking up to 110 with Mr; Jenkins getting 50 and Mr; Crosland, the Secretary of State for the Environment.; between 20 and 30. Those figures. however rough and readv they mav he at this ‘-ta°n of the contest a week before polling,, suggested that the first ballot would show the final contest lying between Mr Callaghan, drawing his votes from all sections of the' partv and Mr Foot, the principal nominee of the left-wing.

I Mr Healey’s entry slightly!! alters the prospects for the 1 first ballot. He will take some votes although perhaps 1 ! not many from Mr Callag- ( ihan, Mr Jenkins and Mri ‘Crosland and thereby,! according to some Labour members of Parliament,! opens up the possibility that Mr Foot may now lead on; the first ballot.