Dame Emily Thornberry, a veteran Labour MP and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has withdrawn from the Labour Party’s deputy leadership contest, narrowing the field in a race that has already seen several prominent candidates bow out. Her decision, announced on the morning of September 11, 2025, comes after she secured only 13 nominations from her parliamentary colleagues—far short of the 80 required to progress to the next round. Thornberry’s exit, alongside those of Paula Barker and Alison McGovern, leaves Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Commons leader Lucy Powell as the clear frontrunners, with backbencher Bell Ribeiro-Addy still in contention but trailing significantly.
Thornberry’s withdrawal was made public in a gracious statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). "I’m deeply grateful to all the Labour members who have shared their support. But I have decided to withdraw. It has been a privilege to take part in this race with such brilliant women. I will always be committed to this party and do everything I can to make it successful," she wrote, according to BBC News and Sky News. Her words echoed the sentiments of a campaign that, while ultimately unsuccessful, was marked by a strong sense of party loyalty and camaraderie among the female candidates.
The contest to replace Angela Rayner as Labour’s deputy leader was triggered by Rayner’s resignation following her admission of underpaying stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove. Rayner accepted responsibility for the oversight, stating, "It was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount." An investigation by the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, found that Rayner had sought legal advice when purchasing the property but had failed to obtain further tax guidance as recommended. This misstep ultimately led to her stepping down, opening the door to a new generation of leadership contenders.
As of the evening of September 10, 2025, the nomination tallies painted a clear picture of the race’s dynamics. According to The Telegraph and PoliticsHome, Bridget Phillipson led the pack with 116 nominations, comfortably surpassing the 80-MP threshold. Lucy Powell, recently sacked as Commons leader, was close behind with 77 nominations—just three short of the cutoff. Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a left-wing backbencher, had garnered 15 nominations, making her an unlikely candidate to progress. The combined support for Thornberry, Ribeiro-Addy, and Barker stood at just 42 MPs, underscoring the uphill battle faced by candidates outside the party’s current mainstream.
Paula Barker, the MP for Liverpool Wavertree, also withdrew from the race on September 11, 2025, and publicly threw her support behind Lucy Powell. In her own statement, Barker emphasized the importance of party unity and constructive criticism, saying, "The next deputy leader must listen to the concerns of every section of our party and not be afraid to bring those challenges to the Government. Being a good team doesn’t mean we can’t be honest. Criticism of government, when it’s constructive, makes us stronger." Barker’s endorsement was seen as a boost for Powell, who has positioned herself as a candidate willing to speak truth to power and focus on Labour’s voter coalition.
The process for selecting the new deputy leader is a multi-stage affair, designed to ensure broad support across the party’s different constituencies. Candidates had until 5pm on September 11, 2025, to secure at least 80 nominations from Labour MPs. Those who pass this hurdle must then win the backing of either three Labour affiliate organizations—including two trade unions—or 5% of the party’s constituency branches by September 27. The final ballot, open to all party members and affiliated supporters, will run from October 8 to October 23, with the winner announced on October 25, just after Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool.
The timing of this contest has proved challenging for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. As BBC News and The Telegraph note, the deputy leadership election threatens to overshadow the party’s annual conference and has become a lightning rod for internal dissent. Some MPs and activists have used the race as an opportunity to air grievances about the party’s direction and leadership style. There is also a strong feeling among many Labour figures that the new deputy should be a woman from the north of England, to counterbalance what is perceived as a London-centric, male-dominated leadership team.
Thornberry herself addressed this sentiment in a pointed social media post, arguing that the deputy leadership should be about capability, not geography. "There’s an idea going around Westminster that the DL race is about where you come from, not what you can do for the party. Harman. Prescott. Rayner. What do they have in common? When they spoke, people listened. You’d have a drink with them. And they were Labour to their bones," she wrote. Despite her efforts to reframe the debate, her campaign struggled to gain traction, particularly after being overlooked for a Cabinet post by Starmer last year.
The remaining candidates now face the task of broadening their appeal. Bridget Phillipson, the only cabinet member in the race, has drawn support from MPs loyal to the current government. However, some party members may prefer a deputy leader who is more independent of the leadership. Powell, for her part, has pitched herself as someone who can dedicate herself fully to the role, now that she is no longer juggling ministerial responsibilities. Her supporters argue that she is "slightly more left" than Phillipson, but "hardly a socialist," and see her as a candidate who can unite different factions within the party.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, while acknowledging her slim chances of success, has used her candidacy to spark debate about the party’s first year in power and its stance on issues like the war in Gaza. Both she and Barker have been openly critical of the government’s positions on key foreign policy questions, highlighting the ideological diversity that persists within Labour’s ranks.
Whoever emerges victorious will not become deputy prime minister, as Starmer has already appointed David Lammy to that role. Instead, the new deputy leader will be tasked with helping to define Labour’s voter coalition and ensuring the party remains responsive to its grassroots. As the contest enters its final stages, the focus will shift to hustings at the party conference and the all-important ballot of members and supporters.
For now, Thornberry’s withdrawal marks the end of a long and varied parliamentary career’s latest chapter. Her gracious exit, coupled with the narrowing of the field, sets the stage for an intense and closely watched final contest—one that could shape the future direction of the Labour Party for years to come.
