Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson has successfully entered the competition to replace Angela Rayner as Labour’s deputy leader. The Education Secretary garnered 116 endorsements, surpassing the required 80 nominations. Lucy Powell, who recently lost her position as Commons leader in Keir Starmer’s reshuffle, fell short by just three nominations, receiving 77 backers.
In a significant development for Ms. Phillipson, Housing Minister Alison McGovern withdrew from the race and threw her support behind the Education Secretary, citing her as the most capable candidate to unite the party. Ms. McGovern stated, “Despite gaining support today, it is evident that the dynamics of this competition have shifted, and I will not advance to the next stage.” The Birkenhead Labour MP emphasized her endorsement of Bridget Phillipson and vowed to continue advocating for progressive ideals irrespective of the contest’s outcome, emphasizing the need to combat far-right and populist ideologies.
Dame Emily Thornberry, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, and Paula Barker are now vying for additional endorsements from MPs ahead of the looming 5 pm deadline. By 7 pm on Wednesday, Dame Emily had secured 13 nominations, Ms. Ribeiro-Addy had 15, and Ms. Barker had garnered support from 14 MPs. All five female candidates are set to participate in a virtual hustings on Wednesday evening to present their platforms to MPs.
Meanwhile, Labour stalwart Dame Margaret Beckett, the first woman to hold the deputy leader position, shared her candid views, describing the role as “terrible” and “really ghastly.” Dame Margaret, who previously served as deputy leader from 1992 to 1994, revealed that she felt compelled to run as John Smith’s deputy. She emphasized the demanding nature of the role, highlighting the significant time commitment, workload, and responsibility involved, while underscoring the importance of fostering a constructive leadership team to steer the party, government, and country in the right direction.
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