John Smith 1938-1994:: Donald Macintyre and Patricia Wynn Davies assess the potential contenders for the Labour leadership: Margaret Beckett, 51

Current post: acting party leader

Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, the daughter of a carpenter and a teacher, Mrs Beckett is an articulate lieutenant who has proved the strong woman of Labour's long march to electability.

She swung from 'sensible left' to hard Bennite left and back again, is a former CND campaigner and living proof that Neil Kinnock did not bear grudges.

During the 1981 party conference, white- faced and trembling with anger at the Tribune rally, she accused Mr Kinnock of being a 'Judas' for failing to vote for Tony Benn in the deputy leadership contest. She was immediately slapped down by Joan Lester, who reminded the audience that when she resigned as an education minister in protest at cuts, she was replaced by Mrs Beckett.

A former engineer, she was John Smith's deputy as shadow Chief Secretary before the last election, resolutely refusing spending pledges from Shadow Cabinet colleagues. After the election, she was quickly earmarked by the TGWU - who sponsor her - and by GMB union bosses as a 'dream ticket' running-mate in a John Smith leadership campaign.

Married with two stepsons, she looks - to borrow Andrew Roth's elegant phrase - 'like a smaller, working-class Princess Anne'.

Highly ambitious, fighting a tough battle against John Prescott to take the deputy leadership in 1992, she has combined her deputy leader post with that of campaigns director, turning in competent performances on both scores. She is also one of the few Labour MPs with experience in Government. She came close to blundering at last year's party conference, however, by appearing lukewarm over one member, one vote.

(Photograph omitted)