This followed earlier attempts to introduce OMOV in 1981 and again in 1984, to replace the secret ballot of Labour MPs. OMOV had first been proposed at Labour's Wembley Special Conference in 1981, but was not adopted, following opposition by Tony Benn, who instead initiated an electoral college comprising different interest groups in the party: a trade union section comprising 40% of the total vote, consisting of block votes cast by union General Secretaries, another section of 30% comprising the Parliamentary Labour Party (Labour MPs) and a further 30% for Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs). The 1984 attempt to introduce OMOV for future elections of the leader and Deputy Leader also failed, after opposition from the trade unions.
