Labour deputy leadership election: Who could become the party’s new deputy leader?

Voting has finished in Labour’s deputy leadership election – with the winner expected to be announced in just a few hours’ time.

While the results have yet to be confirmed, it was looking like Lucy Powell is expected to secure a comfortable victory over Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

A Survation poll published on Thursday showed that while Ms Phillipson had closed the gap on her opponent, the former Commons leader continued to enjoy a hefty lead in the contest to succeed Angela Rayner following her dramatic resignation from government and the major cabinet reshuffle that followed.

When Rayner stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary last month, she also left her job as deputy leader of the Labour Party.

It’s easy to mix up that role with Deputy PM, the job that’s now been given to David Lammy, but it’s all about internal party politics rather than anything on a national scale.

Still, the race to replace Rayner as deputy leader is worth keeping an eye on, as it could reveal how Labour and union members really think Sir Keir Starmer’s government is going.

Picking a critical voice to be his number two would send a message that he needs to change direction, while choosing a loyalist would suggest they still have his back.

Victory for Ms Powell, who was sacked from the Cabinet in the reshuffle, is likely to be seen as a call from the Labour membership for a change of direction from Starmer’s Government.

In a message to supporters ahead of the close of polls, Ms Powell said she wanted to “help Keir and our Government to succeed” but added the party ‘must change how we are doing things to turn things around’.

She said: ‘Let’s be honest, we have been losing support to all sides.

‘Trying to out-Reform Reform doesn’t work and loses us more the other way. We need to seize back the political megaphone and stop following the agenda set by others.’

Here’s a breakdown of who Powell and Philipson are and everything we know about them.

Lucy Powell

• Pros: Experience at the top of the party, Manchester-born MP who represents Manchester
• Cons: Could slip through cracks between being seen as too close to government and too likely to hold grudge from sacking

Lucy Powell was previously the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council – but in the reshuffle, she was replaced in both roles by Alan Johnson.

This threatens to put her in an awkward position, where those pushing for a voice to counter Starmer see her as too close, while those looking for a loyalist worry she may feel slighted.

Powell confirmed her candidacy in a post on X, where she said living in her home city of Manchester meant her politics are built on an ‘understanding of people’s everyday hopes and fears’.

She ended with a call to respond to the country’s ‘huge challenges’ with ‘bold policies, rooted in progressive Labour values’.

Bridget Phillipson

• Pros: Northern woman who represents a northern consituency, working-class background
• Cons: Could be seen as too close to Starmer, as she’s been the Education Secretary since the election

Bridget Phillipson was the first current member of the government to throw their hat into the ring.

Announcing her candidacy, the Education Secretary said she is a ‘a proud working-class woman from the North East’ who grew up in a ‘a single-parent family on a tough council street’.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said this morning he would be ‘very favourable’ to Phillipson but declined to endorse anyone.

However, today is also the day her department launches a new school inspection system which has been criticised by figures within education.

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What is Angela Rayner doing now?

Angela Rayner stepped down from all of her government and party roles amid a row over her tax affairs last week.

However, she remains the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne and will continue to sit in Parliament on the Labour backbenches.

In her resignation letter, she wrote: ‘For me, being in office is a chance to change the lives of the people I grew up alongside. I will do whatever I can to continue doing so.’

Addressing Starmer, she added: ‘Thank you for your leadership and for your friendship. I will continue to serve you, our country and the party and movement I love in the weeks, months and years ahead.’

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