Tony Blair was elected after John Smith died of cancer.
John Smith ( 13 September 1938 -- 12 May 1994 ) was a British Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his death from a heart attack in May 1994 . Tony Blair . He was elected Labour Party leader in July 1994 , following the sudden death of his predecessor , John Smith , who together with his predecessor , Neil Kinnock , had started to move the party closer to the political centre , in the hope of winning power .