New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 2008
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The New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 2008 was held on 11 November 2008 to choose the twelfth leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. Phil Goff, who had served continuously as an MP since the 1993 election, unanimously won the election with no other MPs putting themselves forward. Annette King became the deputy leader. She was first elected to parliament in the 1984 election, three years after Goff.
Following the Labour government's defeat in the 2008 general election, Prime Minister Helen Clark resigned after 15 years as party leader, including three terms as prime minister, prompting the leadership election.
There was only one candidate, Phil Goff.
Phil Goff had been an MP since 1981 except for three years after losing his seat in 1990. He had served in Clark's government concurrently as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice and later as Minister of Defence. He had previously served in various capacities in David Lange's cabinet in the 1980s. Goff and Clark did not always see eye to eye and in 1996 he attempted an abortive coup to oust Clark.
Goff had been widely tipped as Clark's successor and faced no other candidates and was acclaimed with unanimous support on 11 November 2008.Annette King was elected as deputy leader, and Darren Hughes and Steve Chadwick were elected as the senior and junior whips, respectively. Goff is the most recent leader of the Labour Party to be elected unopposed and first since Arnold Nordmeyer in 1963.
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