1971 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election
Elections to the Labour Party's [Official Opposition Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet] occurred in December 1971. In addition to the 12 members elected, the Leader, [Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy Leader], Labour Chief Whip, Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Labour Leader in the House of Lords, and Labour Chief Whip in the Lords were automatically members. The Labour Lords elected one further member, Baron Champion.
Lever and Thomson both resigned in April 1972, and were replaced by Prentice and Silkin, the first two unsuccessful candidates. Jenkins resigned as deputy leader in the same month, and was replaced by Edward Short. This created an additional vacancy, and because the next two unsuccessful candidates had tied on votes, a run-off election was held to decide who would join the shadow cabinet. On 3 May, Barbara Castle defeated Eric Heffer by 111 votes to 89, to take the position.
The 12 winners of the election are listed below:
| Colour key | Retained in the Shadow Cabinet |
| Colour key | Joined the Shadow Cabinet |
| Colour key | Voted out of the Shadow Cabinet |