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| Phillipson the frontrunner as six female Labour MPs enter deputy leader race | Phillipson the frontrunner as six female Labour MPs enter deputy leader race |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Alison McGovern and Paula Barker latest to join contest, as well as Emily Thornberry, Lucy Powell and Bell Ribeiro-Addy | Alison McGovern and Paula Barker latest to join contest, as well as Emily Thornberry, Lucy Powell and Bell Ribeiro-Addy |
| Who is in the running for deputy leader? | Who is in the running for deputy leader? |
| Bridget Phillipson has thrown her hat in the ring for the Labour deputy leadership contest, becoming the early favourite to win as she is most likely to meet the threshold of MP nominations. | Bridget Phillipson has thrown her hat in the ring for the Labour deputy leadership contest, becoming the early favourite to win as she is most likely to meet the threshold of MP nominations. |
| While Labour party members, many of whom are to the left of Keir Starmer’s leadership, could be suspicious of the education secretary’s role as a serving cabinet minister, she is likely to be seen by MPs as No 10’s de facto candidate and so will secure much of the “payroll” vote. | While Labour party members, many of whom are to the left of Keir Starmer’s leadership, could be suspicious of the education secretary’s role as a serving cabinet minister, she is likely to be seen by MPs as No 10’s de facto candidate and so will secure much of the “payroll” vote. |
| The veteran Labour MP Emily Thornberry; the former Commons leader Lucy Powell; the housing minister Alison McGovern; and the leftwing MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, have also joined the race. | The veteran Labour MP Emily Thornberry; the former Commons leader Lucy Powell; the housing minister Alison McGovern; and the leftwing MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, have also joined the race. |
| The Liverpool Wavertree MP, Paula Barker, also said she would put her name forward. However, in a fast-moving process where hopefuls have until Thursday afternoon to secure nominations from at least 80 Labour MPs, not all of the six are likely to meet the threshold. | The Liverpool Wavertree MP, Paula Barker, also said she would put her name forward. However, in a fast-moving process where hopefuls have until Thursday afternoon to secure nominations from at least 80 Labour MPs, not all of the six are likely to meet the threshold. |
| Senior party figures urged MPs to select a woman from outside London to become Starmer’s deputy. They also warned against the contest becoming too inward looking, amid fears it could damage the government as it struggled to get on the front foot in the fight against Reform. | Senior party figures urged MPs to select a woman from outside London to become Starmer’s deputy. They also warned against the contest becoming too inward looking, amid fears it could damage the government as it struggled to get on the front foot in the fight against Reform. |
| Figures released by the parliamentary Labour party Tuesday evening showed Phillipson leading the deputy leadership race so far, with 44 of the 99 overall nominations. | |
| Powell was second with 35 nominations, followed by Ribeiro-Addy with eight, Thornberry with seven, Barker with three and McGovern with two. | |
| Thornberry, the Islington South MP who is also the chair of the powerful foreign affairs committee, said on social media: “We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen. | Thornberry, the Islington South MP who is also the chair of the powerful foreign affairs committee, said on social media: “We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen. |
| “Welfare. Gaza. Wealth tax. Changes to come on Send. I will be a voice for the membership, unions, PLP and our constituents – not just nod along.” | “Welfare. Gaza. Wealth tax. Changes to come on Send. I will be a voice for the membership, unions, PLP and our constituents – not just nod along.” |
| Powell, the ousted Commons leader, confirmed she was joining the race, running on a soft-left ticket, pledging to hold Starmer to account on behalf of Labour members. The Manchester Central MP said she was proud to have served in Starmer’s government, adding that her politics were rooted in “an understanding of people’s everyday hopes and fears”. | Powell, the ousted Commons leader, confirmed she was joining the race, running on a soft-left ticket, pledging to hold Starmer to account on behalf of Labour members. The Manchester Central MP said she was proud to have served in Starmer’s government, adding that her politics were rooted in “an understanding of people’s everyday hopes and fears”. |
| “As our deputy leader, I would ensure these are at the heart of what we do and how we operate, bringing together all parts of the party and uniting our broad voter coalition,” she said. | “As our deputy leader, I would ensure these are at the heart of what we do and how we operate, bringing together all parts of the party and uniting our broad voter coalition,” she said. |
| Allies of Phillipson believe she has a “good story to tell” from her time running the Department for Education – expanding free school meal provision and childcare support for new parents, as well as fighting to do more to tackle child poverty. | Allies of Phillipson believe she has a “good story to tell” from her time running the Department for Education – expanding free school meal provision and childcare support for new parents, as well as fighting to do more to tackle child poverty. |
| As a working-class northerner who made it to the top of government, she meets the requirement of many MPs to have a woman from outside London leading the party alongside Starmer, while she has a reputation as an effective local campaigner unafraid to take on Reform. | As a working-class northerner who made it to the top of government, she meets the requirement of many MPs to have a woman from outside London leading the party alongside Starmer, while she has a reputation as an effective local campaigner unafraid to take on Reform. |
| However, while party insiders suggested Phillipson might be prepared to acknowledge the government had made mistakes on issues including welfare and Gaza, as a serving cabinet minister “she won’t come out swinging” against Starmer, they said. | However, while party insiders suggested Phillipson might be prepared to acknowledge the government had made mistakes on issues including welfare and Gaza, as a serving cabinet minister “she won’t come out swinging” against Starmer, they said. |
| McGovern has also announced she is running before a hustings for MPs on Wednesday. Allies hope the Birkenhead MP’s progressive credentials and promise to take on rightwing populism will win over colleagues. | McGovern has also announced she is running before a hustings for MPs on Wednesday. Allies hope the Birkenhead MP’s progressive credentials and promise to take on rightwing populism will win over colleagues. |
| Once the first female chair of the Labour pressure group Progress, McGovern says she believes she can shape the party’s “story, communicating our values in a way that resonates across the Labour family and with the public”. | Once the first female chair of the Labour pressure group Progress, McGovern says she believes she can shape the party’s “story, communicating our values in a way that resonates across the Labour family and with the public”. |
| With a series of senior female Labour MPs dropping out of contention to replaceRayner – including Shabana Mahmood, Lisa Nandy and Louise Haigh – a compressed timetable for nominations and worries about a potentially toxic atmosphere have narrowed the field. | With a series of senior female Labour MPs dropping out of contention to replaceRayner – including Shabana Mahmood, Lisa Nandy and Louise Haigh – a compressed timetable for nominations and worries about a potentially toxic atmosphere have narrowed the field. |
| Barker’s entry into the race could split votes on the left if she and Ribeiro-Addy were to both end up on the ballot. | Barker’s entry into the race could split votes on the left if she and Ribeiro-Addy were to both end up on the ballot. |
| Ribeiro-Addy, a south London MP who is close to Diane Abbott, has emerged as the candidate of the left of the party. She said that Labour needed a discussion on “what’s gone wrong” since it came to office. | Ribeiro-Addy, a south London MP who is close to Diane Abbott, has emerged as the candidate of the left of the party. She said that Labour needed a discussion on “what’s gone wrong” since it came to office. |
| “We do have to accept that we have to have a discussion about what members don’t like and what voters don’t like, and what’s gone wrong,” she said. | “We do have to accept that we have to have a discussion about what members don’t like and what voters don’t like, and what’s gone wrong,” she said. |
| “It’s very important to note that a load of Labour members and voters are unhappy about the handling of the situation in Gaza, the winter fuel allowance, the welfare cuts. | “It’s very important to note that a load of Labour members and voters are unhappy about the handling of the situation in Gaza, the winter fuel allowance, the welfare cuts. |
| “All of these things are things that we should be discussing and the idea that we should not have a debate because it may seem critical of the party, I think, is wrong.” | “All of these things are things that we should be discussing and the idea that we should not have a debate because it may seem critical of the party, I think, is wrong.” |
| Ribeiro-Addy also suggested the truncated timetable set out for Labour’s deputy leadership was “unfair”, giving MPs just three days to decide who they would put forward for a vote among the party membership. A senior MP on the soft left of the party described the contest as a “stitch-up”. | Ribeiro-Addy also suggested the truncated timetable set out for Labour’s deputy leadership was “unfair”, giving MPs just three days to decide who they would put forward for a vote among the party membership. A senior MP on the soft left of the party described the contest as a “stitch-up”. |
| Senior Labour figures including the health secretary, Wes Streeting, the Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, and Harriet Harman, all suggested the party should choose a female deputy from outside the capital, as Starmer represents a north London seat. | Senior Labour figures including the health secretary, Wes Streeting, the Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, and Harriet Harman, all suggested the party should choose a female deputy from outside the capital, as Starmer represents a north London seat. |
| In a statement announcing her candidacy, Phillipson said: “I am a proud working-class woman from the north-east. I have come from a single-parent family on a tough council street, all the way to the cabinet, determined to deliver better life chances for young people growing up in our country. | In a statement announcing her candidacy, Phillipson said: “I am a proud working-class woman from the north-east. I have come from a single-parent family on a tough council street, all the way to the cabinet, determined to deliver better life chances for young people growing up in our country. |
| “I’ve taken on powerful vested interests in the education sector – and even as they threw everything at me, I have never taken a backwards step. I will bring that same determination to every battle ahead of us. | “I’ve taken on powerful vested interests in the education sector – and even as they threw everything at me, I have never taken a backwards step. I will bring that same determination to every battle ahead of us. |
| “Because make no mistake: we are in a fight. We all know the dangers Reform poses our country. But not only am I ready for it, I’ve proven we can do it. I’ve shown we can beat Farage in the north-east, while staying true to the Labour party’s values of equality, fairness and social justice.” | “Because make no mistake: we are in a fight. We all know the dangers Reform poses our country. But not only am I ready for it, I’ve proven we can do it. I’ve shown we can beat Farage in the north-east, while staying true to the Labour party’s values of equality, fairness and social justice.” |