Six Labour female Members of Parliament have entered the competition to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy leader. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, emerged as an early favorite by pledging to uphold workers’ rights reforms without compromise, addressing concerns that these changes might be weakened. Speaking at the Trades Unions Congress conference shortly after declaring her candidacy, Phillipson reassured union delegates that the Employment Rights Bill would be implemented as promised.
Phillipson’s candidacy, however, may be viewed as being backed by Downing Street, raising questions as MPs urge the government to address pressing issues such as a wealth tax, the two-child benefit limit, and Gaza.
In addition to Phillipson, the contenders include veteran Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry, former Cabinet minister Lucy Powell, housing minister Alison McGovern, and left-wing MPs Paula Barker and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who all joined the race on Tuesday.
The candidates will participate in a virtual hustings on Wednesday evening, competing to secure at least 80 nominations from MPs by Thursday to advance to the members’ ballot.
Phillipson emphasized her commitment to challenging Reform in her bid and highlighted her background as a working-class woman from the North East. Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, acknowledged past mistakes and pledged to advocate for the party’s core values. McGovern stressed the importance of standing against right-wing populism, while Powell emphasized understanding people’s everyday concerns in her approach to politics. Ribeiro-Addy criticized the rushed process to select a new deputy leader and called for a return to Labour’s core principles. Barker emphasized the need to prioritize public services and workers’ interests over profit.
As of Tuesday, Phillipson leads with 44 nominations, followed by Powell with 35, Thornberry with 7, Ribeiro-Addy with 8, McGovern with 2, and Barker with 3 nominations.