The British Labour Party has always sought to ensure that the power to shape party policy was not consolidated in the hands of the leader. With this in mind the position of Deputy Leader was created. Unlike the Conservative Party, the Labour Leader does not have the power to select their deputy, as the deputy is elected by the party's electoral college. The deputy leader can only be removed by the electoral college or by them resigning of their own accord. The current deputy is John Prescott who has held the position since 1994. In government, the deputy leader becomes Deputy Prime Minister. The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main democratic socialist[1] political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative & Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), and the largest in terms of public membership. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... The office of Deputy Prime Minister is one that has only existed occasionally in the history of the United Kingdom. ...