Phillipson accuses rival of 'energising opponents'

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is standing to be deputy Labour leader (James Manning/PA) James Manning

Labour deputy leadership voting opened on Wednesday as Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell compete to replace Angela Rayner. The Education Secretary faces the former Commons leader in a contest that has exposed divisions within the party about its current direction.

Rayner resigned from her deputy role over tax affairs, triggering the leadership contest. The result will be announced on October 25, with members and affiliates casting their ballots.

Powell was sacked from the Cabinet in Keir Starmer's (Labour) recent reshuffle and is expected to attract votes from members wanting change. The former Commons leader said Labour "can't sugarcoat the fact that things aren't going well" in Government.

Phillipson warns against division

Phillipson has warned that voting for Powell risks "energising our opponents" and creating damaging party disunity. In a video posted on X, the Cabinet minister said: "Make no mistake, change is on the ballot, but it's the kind of change that you get to choose - whether it's me at the Cabinet table pushing for more of the brilliant Labour things that you all want to see, or the risk that comes of disunity, of shouting from the sidelines and energising our opponents."

She pledged to "put Labour's heart and soul into Government" and deliver "that second-term Labour Government that we all want to see". Writing in The Mirror, Phillipson warned against turning "in on ourselves at this crucial moment" which would be welcomed by Nigel Farage (Reform UK).

Powell countered that the party needs to start telling "a stronger story about the purpose of the Labour Government". Speaking at a rally in east London on Tuesday, she said: "I'm proud of Labour's achievements, but we need to acknowledge that mistakes have been made."

Different backing and visions

Phillipson has secured endorsements from unions including GMB and Unison, plus former home secretary Alan Johnson. Powell has the support of Lord Kinnock, who led the party from 1983 to 1992.

Powell argued that Labour has "ceded the political megaphone to our opponents instead of setting the agenda ourselves" and warned against "group-think" setting in. She said the party is in the "fight of our lives" and that "trying to 'out-Reform' Reform doesn't work".

Phillipson pledged to make reducing child poverty the "moral mission" of the Government, guaranteeing it would fall during this Parliament. She said: "Like Angela Rayner and John Prescott, I'm going to give members a voice from the Cabinet table, not throw rocks from the outside."

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.