Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has become the first cabinet minister to announce their candidacy to succeed Angela Rayner as the next deputy leader of the Labour Party.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, the MP for Houghton and Sunderland South pledged to “unite our great party and deliver for working people”, and take on “the dangers Reform poses our country”.
Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament, has also announced she is standing for the deputy leadership, writing on X, she will be “a voice for the membership, unions, PLP, and our constituents – not just nod along”.
These announcements come after left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy threw her hat in the ring on Monday evening. The contest was triggered by the resignation of Angela Rayner after she admitted to Sky News that she had underpaid the taxes due on a property near Brighton.
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Announcing her candidacy as nominations opened on Tuesday, Ms Phillipson said in a statement: “I am a proud working-class woman from the north east. 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.
“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 our country.”
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Ms Phillipson continued by saying that she has “shown we can beat [Reform UK leader Nigel] Farage in the north-east, while staying true to the Labour Party’s values of equality, fairness and social justice.
“With me as deputy leader we will beat them right across the country and unite to deliver the opportunity that working people across this great country deserve.”
Dame Emily made a more succinct announcement, writing on X: “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 declaration comes after Sky News saw a message from her to fellow Labour MPs echoing those sentiments and sounding out support from her colleagues on Monday.
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The Labour Party rule book sets out how candidates can get on the ballot to stand in the election for deputy party leader.
Each nominee must be a sitting member of the Parliamentary Labour Party (a Labour MP), and must be supported by 20% of their fellow members, which currently equates to 80 Labour MPs.
The deadline set by the party’s governing body to gather the required nominations is 5pm on Thursday 11 September.
After that, candidates must win the support of either:
• 5% of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), which are local party groups;
• At least three organisations affiliated to the party – at least two of which must be trade unions – that comprise 5% of the affiliated party membership.
This process will start on Saturday 13 September, and close on Saturday 27 September.
The successful candidates will then appear on the ballot for a vote of all party members and affiliated party supporters, which will open on Wednesday 8 October, and close on Thursday 23 October at 12pm.
The winner will be announced on Saturday 25 October.
Left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy announced her candidacy in a statement on X last night, and took a swipe at the party, saying: “I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.”
The Clapham and Brixton Hill MP has been backed by former Corbynite Richard Burgon, who said she “would ensure Labour members’ voices are heard at the top of our party – and not sidelined by yet more stitch-ups”.
The three candidates – and any others that declare – have until Thursday to gather the support of at least 80 of their fellow Labour MPs in order to proceed to the next stage of the contest.
MPs keen for non-London candidates
Many Labour MPs have said they want a woman to take over from Ms Rayner, who resigned last week after admitting to underpaying stamp duty on a new flat.
However, they have also said they want someone from outside London to counteract the number of MPs from the capital in government – including Sir Keir’s new deputy prime minister, David Lammy – which could complicate matters for Dame Emily.
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Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport in Merseyside, told Sky News he would like a deputy leader who is “geographically closer to home”.
Lewis Atkinson, the MP for Sunderland Central, said on X that, given the geographical distribution of the current cabinet, he will also be looking to support “a non-London woman”.
But while he also endorses that view, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham told Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast that the party needs “people who are going to be prepared to speak out independently about some of the challenges that I’ve just mentioned”.
“I think there are lots of concerns amongst Labour Party members about the way that constituencies are being treated at times,” he said. “It’s too factional, and it needs to be more pluralistic, more inclusive.”
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‘We need strong voices pushing for renewal’
Northern female MPs being encouraged to stand include Ms Haigh, as well as former Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, who was sacked in the cabinet reshuffle last week.
Ms Powell, the MP for Manchester Central, is understood to be “taking soundings” after being approached by colleagues.
Ms Haigh, who was forced to resign after it emerged she pleaded guilty to a criminal offence, said she was “deeply grateful” for the encouragement she had received from colleagues but would not stand.
It is not clear if a Starmer loyalist will put themselves forward. Many cabinet ministers have ruled themselves out, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
But housing minister Alison McGovern, who represents Birkenhead near Liverpool, has not ruled out standing.
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Either she or Ms Phillipson could end up being Downing Street’s preferred choice and would also be popular amongst MPs who not only want a northern woman, but someone who will work constructively with government rather than oppose it.
However, if a minister enters the race and loses, that would be a huge blow to Sir Keir’s authority, as the result would widely be seen as a referendum on his leadership and policies.
As one backbench MP put it: “The question is who is willing to be humiliated on behalf of Keir Starmer, so far nobody.”
