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Labour deputy race nears climax Polls close in Labour deputy race
(about 1 hour later)
The contenders to be the Labour Party's next deputy leader are continuing to battle for support as the seven-week contest enters its final hours. Voting has closed in the race to be Labour's next deputy leader with the result to be announced at a special party conference on Sunday.
The ballot of the three million union members who have a vote has closed, but Labour Party members, MPs and MEPs have until 1700 BST to vote. The six contenders were battling for support from Labour Party members, MPs and MEPs up until ballots closed.
Campaign team canvassing suggests the turnout could be in the 30%-50% range among Labour and union members.Campaign team canvassing suggests the turnout could be in the 30%-50% range among Labour and union members.
There are six in the running for the job. The result is due on Sunday. Alan Johnson is favourite at the bookmakers but experts say the contest is difficult to call.
Turnout figures are being closely guarded. Much will rest on which candidate voters choose to name as their second preference, following a marathon seven-week campaign and more than a dozen public debates.
Marathon campaign The votes - which include three million cast by trade union members - will be counted in a series of rounds.
After the marathon campaign, in which there have been more than a dozen six-way public debates, the candidates will have hoped to persuade voters to not only make them their first choice, but also to win second preferences. Assuming no single candidate gains an overall majority of votes in the first round, the last place candidate will drop out.
The way the voting system works, being listed as a voters' second preference could be vital to the result. At this point, the second choice vote of that candidate's backers will be allocated to the others - and the same process will be repeated until one of the contenders gets to the 50% mark.
The votes will be counted in a series of rounds - with the last place candidate dropping out and their second choices being allocated to the others - until someone gets to the 50% mark.
Manchester announcement
The last of the hustings was a "virtual" one, screened on the Labour Party YouTube site on Thursday.The last of the hustings was a "virtual" one, screened on the Labour Party YouTube site on Thursday.
The candidates are International Development Secretary Hilary Benn, Labour chairwoman Hazel Blears, backbencher Jon Cruddas, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, Justice minister Harriet Harman and Education Secretary Alan Johnson.The candidates are International Development Secretary Hilary Benn, Labour chairwoman Hazel Blears, backbencher Jon Cruddas, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, Justice minister Harriet Harman and Education Secretary Alan Johnson.
Although it is widely accepted as a difficult election to call, the bookmakers have Alan Johnson as favourite, followed by Hilary Benn. Hilary Benn, who struggled to gain enough support from MPs to get on to the ballot paper, has traded places with Mr Johnson as the bookmakers' favourite.
The result of the contest, to succeed John Prescott as deputy party leader, will be announced at a special party conference in Manchester on Sunday afternoon.The result of the contest, to succeed John Prescott as deputy party leader, will be announced at a special party conference in Manchester on Sunday afternoon.