Labour's contest to replace deputy leader Angela Rayner entered a decisive phase on Wednesday as hopefuls made their pitch to MPs and allies of Prime Minister Keir Starmer worked to limit the number of left-wing candidates able to reach the membership ballot.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has been described within party circles as Downing Street’s preferred choice and is widely expected to reach the 80-MP threshold needed to progress to the final vote of party members. Hustings were scheduled for Wednesday, and the deadline for MP nominations is 5 p.m. on Thursday.
The field comprises six candidates, including sacked minister Lucy Powell, a close ally of Sir Keir’s rival Andy Burnham, and former cabinet minister Emily Thornberry. Thornberry has said she would prioritise welfare policy, a wealth tax, changes to special educational needs provision and an explicit focus on Gaza if elected. Other declared contenders include Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Paula Barker, who are perceived as the most left-leaning entrants.
Several of those on the left of the party have criticised the timetable and format of the contest. Barker told Times Radio that a major hustings had been scheduled too late, noting that MPs are on a one-line whip on Thursday — meaning many will not be required to remain in Parliament — and arguing the timing would leave colleagues travelling to their constituencies during key meetings. "We have a very, very narrow window of opportunity," she said, adding that the party should review internal processes to be more inclusive.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy echoed concerns that the truncated schedule could hamper chances for candidates favoured by activists, prompting strategic manoeuvring among Starmer allies who are keen to ensure the membership ballot offers a choice aligned with the leadership’s agenda.
Powell, who was sacked from a ministerial role earlier this year, and Thornberry are both viewed as potential challengers to Phillipson for the membership run-off if they secure sufficient MP nominations. Party rules require a candidate to secure the backing of a minimum number of Labour MPs to appear on the ballot that will be decided by the wider membership.
Housing Minister Emma McGovern said she believed she could act as "a bridge between members, activists, unions and the Prime Minister." McGovern defended the pace of the contest and the nominations she had secured so far, and in an appearance on BBC Newsnight vowed to take on the far-right: "Politics has changed… it's not the old Tory party that I grew up hating, it's Nigel Farage and his little friends," she said.
Thornberry launched her campaign with an explicit pledge not to be a rubber stamp for the leadership, saying she would not "just nod along" and setting out taxation and foreign policy priorities. The contest is taking place against a backdrop of continuing debate within Labour over policy direction and the party’s relationship with its membership and activist base.
If Phillipson meets the MP threshold as expected, she will likely face at least one of the left-leaning candidates in the membership ballot, with unions and constituency activists poised to play a decisive role. The outcome will shape the balance of influence around the leader as Labour prepares for the next general-election cycle.
The nominations deadline on Thursday sets the stage for what officials and factional organisers describe as an unusually compressed leadership contest. Following that deadline, the party will confirm which candidates proceed to the final membership vote and publish the timetable for the subsequent stages of the contest.