2014 Labour Party leadership election (Ireland)

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2014 Labour Party leadership election

| country =

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2007 Labour Party leadership election (Ireland)

| previous_year = 2007

| next_election = 2016 Labour Party leadership election (Ireland)

| next_year = 2016

| election_date = {{Start date|2014|07|4|df=yes}}

| 1blank =

| image1 = 150x150px

| candidate1 = Joan Burton

| party1 =

| leaders_seat1 =

| 1data1 =

| percentage1 = 77%

| image2 = 150x150px

| candidate2 = Alex White

| party2 =

| leaders_seat2 =

| 1data2 =

| percentage2 = 22%

| title = Leader

| posttitle =

| before_election = Eamon Gilmore

| after_election = Joan Burton

}}

The 2014 Labour Party leadership election was held following the resignation of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore as Leader of the Labour Party in the aftermath the party's poor showing at the local and European elections. A postal ballot was held to elect a successor. Nominations opened on 27 May and closed on 2 June.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/eamon-gilmore-quits-as-labour-leader-1.1809400|title=Eamon Gilmore quits as Labour leader|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=26 May 2014|first1=Fiach|last1=Kelly|first2=Mary|last2=Minihan|first3=Pamela|last3=Duncan|url-access=subscription}}

Candidates

Two candidates contested the leadership election:

Joan Burton, Deputy leader and Minister for Social Protection{{cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/new-labour-leader-1486518-May2014/|title=Here's who is in the frame to become the new Labour leader|website=TheJournal.ie|date=26 May 2014|first=Rónán|last=Duffy}}
Alex White, Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for primary care {{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections/adrian-kavanagh-ace-of-bases-who-should-be-the-next-labour-party-leader-30306117.html|title=Adrian Kavanagh: Ace of Bases - Who should be the next Labour Party leader?|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=26 May 2014|access-date=22 September 2021}}

Deputy leader

Along with the position of leader, there was also an election to fill the Deputy leadership that fell vacant on the resignation of the Leader.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections/gilmore-quit-ahead-of-ministers-threat-to-force-his-hand-30306880.html|title=Gilmore quit ahead of minister's threat to force his hand|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=27 May 2014|first1=Niall|last1=O'Connor|first2=Fionnan|last2=Sheahan}} Four candidates contested it.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/four-horse-race-for-labour-deputy-leader-as-ciara-conway-announces-she-will-stand-30321954.html|title=Four horse race for Labour deputy leader as Ciara Conway announces she will stand|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=2 June 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/three-labour-candidates-for-deputy-leadership-1.1813615|title=Three Labour candidates for deputy leadership|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=29 May 2014|first=Mary|last=Minihan|url-access=subscription}}

Ciara Conway, TD for Waterford
Alan Kelly, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with responsibility for public and commuter transport
Michael McCarthy, TD for Cork South-West
Seán Sherlock, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills and at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with responsibility for research and innovation

Debates

There were 5 leadership election debates held across Ireland during the election campaign.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
^† ! style="background:#B0C4DE" colspan="16"\| 2014 Labour Party leadership election debates
style="white-space:nowrap;"\| *N°.* \|\| Date \|\| Place \|\| scope="col" colspan="2"\| Leadership candidates \|\| scope="col" colspan="4"\|Deputy Leadership candidates
colspan="3" \|{{Colors\|black\|#90ff90\| P }} Participant. {{Colors\|black\|#ff9090\| N }} Non-invitee. {{Colors\|black\|#ffffdd\| A }} Absent invitee. ! scope="col" style="width:4em;"\|Burton ! scope="col" style="width:4em;"\|White ! scope="col" style="width:4em;"\|Conway ! scope="col" style="width:4em;"\|Kelly ! scope="col" style="width:4em;"\|McCarthy ! scope="col" style="width:4em;"\|Sherlock
1 \| style="white-space:nowrap;"\|9 June 2014 \|style="white-space:nowrap;"\|Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin Airport \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}}
2 \| style="white-space:nowrap;"\|16 June 2014 \|style="white-space:nowrap;"\|Clayton Hotel, Galway \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}}
3 \| style="white-space:nowrap;"\|19 June 2014 \|style="white-space:nowrap;"\|Rochestown Park Hotel, Douglas, Cork \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}}
4 \| style="white-space:nowrap;"\|21 June 2014 \|style="white-space:nowrap;"\|Tom Johnson Summer School, Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}}
5 \| style="white-space:nowrap;"\|26 June 2014 \|style="white-space:nowrap;"\|Mansion House, Dublin \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}} \|{{Yes\|P}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"

^†

! style="background:#B0C4DE" colspan="16"| 2014 Labour Party leadership election debates

style="white-space:nowrap;"| N°. || Date || Place || scope="col" colspan="2"| Leadership candidates || scope="col" colspan="4"|Deputy Leadership candidates

colspan="3" |{{Colors|black|#90ff90| P }} Participant. {{Colors|black|#ff9090| N }} Non-invitee. {{Colors|black|#ffffdd| A }} Absent invitee.

! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|Burton

! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|White

! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|Conway

! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|Kelly

! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|McCarthy

! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|Sherlock

| style="white-space:nowrap;"|9 June 2014

|style="white-space:nowrap;"|Radisson Blu Hotel,
Dublin Airport

|{{Yes|P}}

| style="white-space:nowrap;"|16 June 2014

|style="white-space:nowrap;"|Clayton Hotel,
Galway

|{{Yes|P}}

| style="white-space:nowrap;"|19 June 2014

|style="white-space:nowrap;"|Rochestown Park Hotel,
Douglas, Cork

|{{Yes|P}}

| style="white-space:nowrap;"|21 June 2014

|style="white-space:nowrap;"|Tom Johnson Summer School,
Portlaoise Heritage Hotel,
Portlaoise

|{{Yes|P}}

| style="white-space:nowrap;"|26 June 2014

|style="white-space:nowrap;"|Mansion House, Dublin

|{{Yes|P}}

Result

Joan Burton was elected as leader with 78% of the vote. Alan Kelly was elected as deputy leader.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0704/628419-labour-party/|title=Need to govern with more heart, says Joan Burton|publisher=RTÉ News|date=4 July 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/joan-burton-wins-76pc-of-votes-to-become-new-labour-party-leader-30407157.html|title=Joan Burton wins 76pc of votes to become new Labour Party leader|date=4 July 2014|work=Irish Independent|accessdate=7 July 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/joan-burton-happy-to-take-the-reins-as-labour-leader-274412.html|title= Joan Burton happy to take the reins as Labour leader|date=4 July 2014|work=Irish Examiner|accessdate=7 July 2014}}

class="wikitable"
colspan=3\|Leadership election
Candidate !Votes !%
Joan Burton \|2,094 \|77.0%
Alex White \| 607 \| 22.3%
Spoiled \| 19 \|0.7%

class="wikitable"

colspan=3|Leadership election

Candidate

!Votes

Joan Burton

|2,094

|77.0%

Alex White

| 607

| 22.3%

Spoiled

| 19

|0.7%

class="wikitable"
colspan=3\|Deputy leader election
Candidate !Votes !%
Alan Kelly \|1,409 \|51.5%
Seán Sherlock \|467 \|17.1%
Michael McCarthy \|438 \|16.0%
Ciara Conway \|421 \|15.4%
Spoiled \| 3 \|0.1%

class="wikitable"

colspan=3|Deputy leader election

Candidate

!Votes

Alan Kelly

|1,409

|51.5%

Seán Sherlock

|467

|17.1%

Michael McCarthy

|438