Keir Starmer faces growing internal pressure after several ministers removed in this month’s reshuffle moved to back Lucy Powell in the contest for Labour’s deputy leadership.
Justin Madders, who had been overseeing the party’s employment rights proposals before he was dismissed in the reshuffle that followed deputy leader Angela Rayner’s resignation, is chairing Powell’s campaign. Powell, removed as Commons leader in the same reshuffle, will contest the deputy role against Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, whom Downing Street is widely viewed as supporting.
The contest has been framed within the party both as a fight over immediate personnel and as a potential proxy between Starmer and figures who have signalled dissent. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has indicated his backing for Powell and has been described by allies as "mobilising" to support her bid; Burnham has publicly said he will serve his full term as mayor while rejecting suggestions he will immediately seek a return to Westminster.
Madders has criticised the party’s standing in public opinion, calling recent polls "dismal" and arguing there must be an "open contest" for the deputy job. The episode compounds strains within Labour after the high-profile departure of Lord Peter Mandelson from an advisory role and Rayner’s exit over questions about her tax affairs, developments that opponents and some party figures say have intensified scrutiny of Starmer’s leadership.
Tensions are expected to rise at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool at the end of September, where manoeuvring over party direction and personnel is likely to dominate. Allies of the prime minister have signalled that Starmer intends to use the conference platform to deliver a highly personal speech setting out his vision for government.
Labour’s rules set a high threshold for removing a leader without their consent. At least 80 MPs must nominate a challenger before a card vote can be held at conference on whether to trigger a full membership leadership election. Several MPs have warned privately that Starmer’s position could become untenable if the party performs poorly in the local elections next May, though no formal challenge has been launched.
Madders had been the minister responsible for shepherding through a contentious workers’ rights overhaul before his dismissal. The proposals, criticised by some business groups, drew speculation that the reshuffle might lead to their dilution. The government has publicly recommitted to the measures after unions warned against backsliding.
The deputy leadership contest comes at a politically sensitive moment for Labour as it balances legislative priorities and internal unity ahead of local polls and the next general election. Both camps are gearing up for a campaign that will play out among MPs, party affiliates and the wider membership ahead of a vote that could reshape the party’s senior team and influence its strategy in government.