British Labour

BRIGHTON. England--A sharply divided British Labour Party narrowly re-elected moderate Denis Healey as deputy leader yesterday. Healey defeated left-wing challenger Tony Benn.

In a runoff ballot at the 80-year-old party's annual conference. Healey received 50.4 per cent of the vote to Benn's 49.6 per cent.

Healey apparently won on the strength of abstensions by between ten and 20 left-wing members of Parliament who had voted for another left-wing candidate on a previous ballot.

Moderates feared that a Benn victory would cause further defections to the centrist Social Democratic Party, formed in March by four former Labour Cabine members.

The 1200 conference delegates gathered amid speculation that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whose popularity has fallen as she has pursued tight-money policies, would call a special election as early as next spring if Benn won the vote. Moderates expressed concern that Benn and a strongly leftist platform would cost labor such an election.

Labour Party leader Michael Foot was not contested and retained his seat.