Labour’s deputy leadership contest has erupted into one of the most consequential and closely watched internal elections in recent party history, as members weigh not only the future of the role itself but also deliver a pointed verdict on Sir Keir Starmer’s embattled leadership. With voting now underway as of October 11, 2025, the race between Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson has become a lightning rod for wider frustrations, ideological rifts, and questions about the party’s direction after a bruising 18 months in government.
The vacancy emerged after Angela Rayner resigned following revelations that she had failed to pay sufficient tax on her £800,000 flat in Hove, a breach of the ministerial code that left Labour scrambling. Rayner, with a public recognition rate of 84% according to YouGov, leaves big shoes to fill; her departure has only intensified scrutiny of the contest and the candidates vying to replace her.
On paper, Powell and Phillipson share much in common. Both hail from the north of England, are known for their direct style, and neither belong to Labour’s far left or the staunchly New Labour camp. Yet, as BBC reports, the similarities end when it comes to their political positioning and recent career trajectories. Powell, once Leader of the House of Commons, was abruptly sacked by Starmer in early September 2025—a move that has made her something of a martyr among members critical of the leadership’s direction. Phillipson, meanwhile, remains in the cabinet as Education Secretary, seen by many as the government’s preferred candidate.
Polling and nominations tell a story of a party divided. Powell has surged ahead in the contest for constituency Labour party (CLP) support, boasting 269 nominations to Phillipson’s 165, and leading among members with 35% to Phillipson’s 28%, according to the most recent member polling cited by the New Statesman. Yet, Phillipson commands more support from MPs and unions, and her campaign has performed strongly in London, securing 29 CLP nominations there compared to Powell’s 19.
The role of deputy leader itself is, as one party insider told BBC, “a bit of a funny, vague role.” It comes with a seat on Labour’s influential National Executive Committee and attendance at the so-called political cabinet—meetings where civil servants are excluded and party strategy is hashed out. Importantly, the deputy leader is not automatically the deputy prime minister; that role was handed to David Lammy after his move from foreign secretary, underscoring the ambiguous status of the post.
Powell’s pitch is rooted in her outsider status. She argues that being outside the cabinet gives her the freedom to stand up for members and hold the leadership to account. “What Lucy has heard from members in London and up and down the country is that they’re worried about Labour losing support from both sides,” a spokesperson for her campaign told the New Statesman. Powell insists she’ll still have sway, claiming she will attend political cabinet meetings and “be at the top of the party… working across government and reconnecting with our movement.”
Phillipson’s team, however, disputes this vision. As Education Secretary, Phillipson sits at the cabinet table and promises to represent members’ views from inside government. Her spokesperson told the New Statesman: “This fundamentally misrepresents what Lucy will be able to do. She won’t be at cabinet, and for every important decision she will be out of the room.” Phillipson has drawn comparisons to former deputy leaders like John Prescott, Harriet Harman, and Angela Rayner, emphasizing the clout she would wield in government. “We need a united Labour Party to face down Farage and deliver the progressive policies which will drive down child poverty,” her spokesperson said, warning that a divided party would only “send us back to the opposition benches and have Farage laughing all the way to No 10.”
The campaign, once relatively civil, has turned increasingly contentious in recent weeks. Powell’s critics have circulated briefings alleging that her tenure as Leader of the House was marred by breaches of trust, making her unfit for a return to cabinet. “Lucy was sacked from Cabinet because she couldn’t be trusted not to brief or leak. She fundamentally lost the trust of colleagues,” a Labour source told the New Statesman. Powell’s allies, for their part, dismiss such claims as desperate mudslinging from a campaign trailing in the polls. They note that Starmer himself could not provide a reason for her sacking, and maintain that the deputy leader role “isn’t a position appointed by the Leader or cabinet. It’s a Party role not a government one and neither candidate will be the deputy Prime Minister.”
Beyond personal dynamics, the contest has become a proxy war between Labour’s soft left and loyalist wings—and, more broadly, a battle for the party’s soul. Members dissatisfied with the leadership’s direction see the deputy leadership vote as a rare chance to make their voices heard. As BBC notes, “the contest is a chance for members to give a verdict on the leadership, and vent frustration.” The party’s dismal poll standing—despite a landslide election victory less than 18 months ago—has left many MPs and grassroots members disgruntled and eager for change.
Phillipson, for her part, has promised to give members more power over decision-making, pledging to formally consult them and unions every three months via a new app or the party website. She also plans to change the rules of the National Policy Forum, restricting input to members or officially linked organizations, aiming to ensure the party’s policymaking process is more responsive to its base.
Powell, meanwhile, has emphasized the need for open debate and a “course correction” in government, pointing to recent missteps such as the handling of the winter fuel allowance. Her supporters argue that the party would be stronger if it opened up debate beyond the inner circle around Starmer, who they say has made plenty of mistakes. “We can’t tack one way or the other, trying to out Reform Reform. We’ve got to take back the political megaphone and rebuild our electoral coalition, telling a stronger story about what Labour will do,” Powell’s campaign said.
Despite the heated rhetoric, neither candidate offers a radical departure in policy terms; the real difference lies in their approach to party unity, internal democracy, and the balance of power between the leadership and the membership. As BBC observes, the deputy leader role has historically shifted between being a loyal helper—think of John Prescott, who connected with grassroots members—and a pressure valve for dissent, as Tom Watson was during the Corbyn years.
With Powell the favorite to win, according to most Labour sources and polling, the outcome could prove awkward for Starmer. “For Lucy to get sacked then five weeks later, show to be the party’s favourite slam-dunk candidate, feeds into the narrative of Keir’s non-Midas touch – oops,” one cabinet member confided to BBC.
With both candidates having toured the country, participated in more than 20 in-person and online events, and faced their share of caricatures and attacks, the contest is as much about personalities and relationships as it is about policy. As voting continues, Labour’s members have the chance to reshape not just the deputy leadership, but the party’s trajectory at a critical juncture. The decision they make in the coming days will reverberate far beyond the confines of party HQ, shaping the mood—and perhaps the fate—of Labour for years to come.
