May 1994 saw the sudden and tragic death of John Smith, cut
down at the moment he appeared set to become the next Prime Minister after
successive electoral defeats for his party. His death, it is no exaggeration to
say, changed the entire course of history, paving the way for the accession of
Tony Blair and the advent of New Labour.



Smith presided over far-reaching and at times controversial
reform of the Labour Party and its policies, committing his party to
constitutional reform, devolution and greater European integration – policies
that we attribute to his successor today, despite Smith’s crucial role. Yet for
some in the party, his changes didn’t go nearly far enough.



Thirty years on from his death, this fascinating collection
offers a comprehensive assessment of Smith’s leadership of the Labour Party,
written by academic experts in their chosen fields and by those who knew him as
advisors, MPs and journalists. Taking a wide-ranging look at all aspects of
Smith’s rule – from his legacy and popularity to his policies and priorities –
the book seeks to answer the crucial question of whether his leadership was a
continuation of the ‘Old Labour’ attitudes that had come before him or the
harbinger of the transformed New Labour that followed his tragically short time
as Leader of the Opposition.