Who is in the running to be the new Labour deputy leader? ITV News’ Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks reports
The race to become the next deputy leader of the Labour Party is underway, after Angela Rayner stepped down over her tax affairs.
While David Lammy has been appointed deputy prime minister, the deputy PM can be a separate person from the deputy leader of the party. It’s not yet clear if Lammy himself will run.
Nominations don’t close until Thursday, but on Tuesday, a number of MPs publicly threw their hat into the ring.
Candidates need the backing of at least 80 MPs to be nominated.
There are calls for Rayner’s successor to be a woman from the north of England, because both Starmer and Lammy are men representing London constituencies.
A Survation survey of 1,308 Labour members who read the LabourList website suggested Bridget Phillipson was the most popular choice for the role.
Among those who expressed an opinion, she had a net favourability score – the difference between the percentage who view her as a good candidate as opposed to a bad one – of plus 39, ahead of Emily Thornberry on plus 20 and Alison McGovern on plus 19.
Bridget Phillipson
The Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is seen as the government’s chosen candidate for the role.
It would make Starmer’s life a lot easier if the deputy leader were also part of his cabinet, as they are less likely to challenge him publicly than a more left-wing candidate.
Phillipson grew up in poverty in Gateshead, before going to Oxford and being elected as the MP for Houghton and Sunderland South in 2010.
Announcing her bid for the deputy leadership, Phillipson described herself as “a proud working-class woman from the North East” who had gone from “a single-parent family on a tough council street” to the Cabinet table.
Adding that she had taken on “powerful vested interests in the education sector” and “never taken a backwards step”, she pledged to “bring that same determination to every battle ahead of us”.
Alison McGovern
Alison McGovern was the Minister for Employment before the reshuffle last week saw her moved to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
She’s the MP for Birkenhead and was a councillor in Southwark, south London, before being elected to Parliament.
Announcing her leadership bid, she said: “Our country faces a huge threat from the dark forces of right-wing populism.
“We will only defeat that threat by giving people real hope and pride in our diverse country. And by fighting for those things that unite, not divide, us all: the right to a home, a job, and to feel part of this country.”
Lucy Powell
Lucy Powell was sacked from her job as Leader of the House of Commons in the reshuffle and announced her bid to run for deputy leadership on Tuesday.
Another northern, female MP, Powell, represents Manchester Central and is seen as on the party’s soft left.
Powell said she had made the decision “after much encouragement”.
Describing herself as “proud” to have served in Starmer’s government, Powell said her politics were “rooted” in “an understanding of people’s everyday hopes and fears”.
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.”
Emily Thornberry
Emily Thornberry served on Starmer’s front bench as shadow attorney general for three years before she was dropped when the PM appointed his cabinet after the election.
She’s been the MP for Islington South and Finsbury in London since 2005, and currently serves as the chair of the foreign affairs committee.
Thornberry vowed that she would be “a voice for the membership, unions, PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party), and our constituents – not just nod along”.
She also listed welfare, Gaza, a wealth tax and planned changes to special educational needs provision as her key issues.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy
Bell Ribeiro-Addy was the first person to put herself forward as a candidate, and is seen as the candidate of the left.
Supported by Socialist Campaign Group chairman Richard Burgon, she has called for Labour to “go back to the guiding values of our party and movement”.
She also says she would push for wealth taxes, scrapping the two-child benefit cap, imposing a full arms embargo and sanctions on Israel, unbanning Palestine Action and returning the whip to MPs “punished for voting with their consciences”.
Paula Barker
Paula Barker has been the MP for Liverpool Wavertree since 2019, and worked in local government before becoming an MP.
She also preceded Angela Rayner as Unison’s North West Regional Convenor in 2015.
Announcing her leadership bid, she said: “One of the reasons I have taken the decision to run is that I am worried about the lack of geographical and political diversity at the top of our Party.”
“Having spent almost 30 years in public service and 20 years representing my colleagues as a trade union official – I believe as a Party we have stepped too far away from traditional Labour principles,” she said.
Other names being floated
Among the other MPs who are reported to be considering leadership bids are: Kim Leadbeater, Al Carns, Richard Burgon, Sarah Owen, and Stella Creasy.
What’s the process for the deputy leadership election?
Nominations will close on Thursday, September 11. Voting will start on Wednesday, October 8, and will close on October 23, before a result is announced on October 25.
MP Richard Burgon, who is on the left of the party, called the process the “mother of all stitch-up” – saying that only giving candidates a few days to secure nominations by MPs was a “desperate move to keep Labour members’ voices out of this race.”
“This outrageous timetable shows a leadership that’s unwilling to listen and to learn the lessons needed if we’re to rebuild support and stop Nigel Farage,” he wrote in a post on X.
The first hustings is due to take place online on Wednesday.
Successful nominees then have to be endorsed by at least 5% of constituency Labour parties or three institutional affiliates, including at least two trade unions.
The contest then goes to a vote of full members and affiliated supporters who are members of trade unions.
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