The Labour Party has been thrust into a high-stakes contest to select a new deputy leader, following the abrupt resignation of Angela Rayner over a tax controversy. As the September 11 nomination deadline looms, a crowded field of candidates is vying for the crucial 80 nominations required from Labour MPs—a process made all the more intense by internal party dynamics, public scrutiny, and the need to balance regional and gender representation.
Angela Rayner’s resignation marked a dramatic turning point for Labour. According to the BBC, Rayner stepped down from her roles as deputy leader, housing secretary, and deputy prime minister after it was revealed she failed to pay £40,000 in stamp duty on an £800,000 flat in Hove, East Sussex. Her departure triggered a rapid-fire leadership contest, with party officials setting a tight timetable: candidates must secure 20% of the Parliamentary Labour Party’s support—equivalent to 80 MPs—by 5pm on September 11, 2025. In addition, hopefuls need backing from either three Labour-affiliated groups (including two trade unions) or 5% of constituency Labour parties. The final decision will be made through a preferential vote of party members, with the winner announced on October 25.
At the center of the race stands Bridget Phillipson, the current education secretary. As reported by LabourList and The Guardian, Phillipson has quickly emerged as the frontrunner. A recent Survation poll for LabourList showed her with a commanding +39% favourability rating among Labour members, well ahead of her closest rival, Emily Thornberry, who scored +20%. Phillipson’s appeal is multifaceted: she is a woman from outside London, representing Houghton and Sunderland South, and she brings working-class credentials to the table. In her own words, "I am a proud working-class woman from the northeast. I have come from a single-parent family on a tough council street, all the way to the cabinet, determined to deliver better life chances for young people growing up in our country."
Phillipson’s policy record has also set her apart. As education secretary, she has championed a left-leaning policy to add VAT to private school fees, with the aim of funding 6,000 more teachers for state schools. "I’ve taken on powerful vested interests in the education sector – and even as they threw everything at me, I have never taken a backwards step. I will bring that same determination to every battle ahead of us. Because make no mistake: we are in a fight. We all know the dangers Reform poses to our country," she declared, according to LabourList. Her campaign has already received the support of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who told Times Radio, "I can well understand why lots of my colleagues are saying we should have a deputy leader from outside London to broaden perspectives, broaden the base."
But Phillipson is not the only contender. The field is notably diverse, reflecting the party’s internal spectrum and the broader debate about Labour’s identity and direction. Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, has long been a fixture on the party’s front benches and now chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. According to The Telegraph, Thornberry is regarded as a "fiery Labour grandee" and a "yin to Starmer’s yang," bringing charisma and communication skills that some believe are essential to turning around Labour’s polling fortunes. However, her London seat is seen by some as a disadvantage, given the growing consensus that the next deputy leader should be a woman from outside the capital to balance the leadership team of Keir Starmer and his new deputy prime minister, David Lammy.
Thornberry has positioned herself as a voice for the membership and backbenchers, pledging to "not just nod along" with the leadership. On social media, she stated, "We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen. Welfare. Gaza. Wealth tax. Changes to come on SEND. I will be a voice for the membership, unions, PLP, and our constituents – not just nod along." Her willingness to challenge party orthodoxy could appeal to members seeking a more independent deputy leader.
Lucy Powell, the MP for Manchester Central, is another notable candidate. Recently sacked as Commons leader in a reshuffle, Powell is backed by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and is seen as a front-runner among MPs, according to Politico and The I Paper. She has promised to "bring together all parts of the party and unite our broad voter coalition," highlighting her experience championing backbenchers and striving for unity. Powell’s northern credentials and her outsider status following her recent dismissal from the cabinet could make her an appealing alternative for those wary of candidates too closely aligned with the current leadership.
Other candidates include Alison McGovern, MP for Birkenhead, who has promised to take on "the huge threat from the dark forces of right-wing populism" and fight for "the right to a home, a job and to feel part of this country." As a former chairwoman of Progress and a minister moved to the housing and communities department in the recent reshuffle, McGovern is seen as a compromise candidate acceptable to Downing Street, as reported by The Guardian. Her background in the north of England and her association with Gordon Brown are seen as assets in a contest where regional diversity is prized.
On the left of the party, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, is backed by the Socialist Campaign Group. She has used her candidacy to call for greater freedom to challenge government policy, telling the BBC that Labour’s deputy leader should be able to "criticise government policy" and warning that the party risks losing voters without a change in direction. Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree and a former Unison trade union official, has also thrown her hat into the ring, emphasizing her experience as a campaigner for workers’ rights and her willingness to defy the leadership over issues such as Gaza.
The contest rules have been described by some on the left as a "stitch-up," with MP Richard Burgon telling The New Statesman that the timetable and nomination threshold make it particularly challenging for left-wing candidates to qualify. Indeed, several high-profile figures—such as Shabana Mahmood, Wes Streeting, Rosena Allin-Khan, and Louise Haigh—have ruled themselves out of the race, narrowing the field to those able to quickly marshal support within the party’s parliamentary ranks.
As the clock ticks down to the nomination deadline, the stakes for Labour could hardly be higher. The new deputy leader will not only help shape the party’s response to threats from Reform UK and internal dissent but will also play a key role in uniting a party still grappling with its identity after a year in government. The outcome of this contest will reveal much about Labour’s future direction—and about the delicate balancing act of representing its diverse membership while appealing to the broader electorate.
With the final vote set for October 25, party members and political observers alike will be watching closely to see which candidate can best navigate the party’s shifting landscape—and emerge as the unifying force Labour needs at this pivotal moment.
