While new department cars rock up at houses today to pick up new ministers giddy to get into government, other Labour MPs will have their minds elsewhere as another big race for a big role in the Labour Party gets under way.
After Angela Rayner’s sudden departure from the government for failing to pay enough stamp duty, she now leaves a hole at the top of the party as deputy leader – an elected position by the membership which means a full leadership contest will have to begin, and fast.
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Candidates will probably have to decide today whether they are going to put their names in the mix.
So, who could throw their hat into the ring?
David Lammy – the ‘makes sense’ candidate
This would be a neat little way to solve the problem for the government and an attempt to try to kick it back to the status quo.
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Sir Keir Starmer appointed the former foreign secretary as deputy prime minister in the government during his reshuffle at the weekend, and if he won, he would effectively occupy the same role Ms Rayner had, being both the PM’s elected deputy, as well as the members’ choice.
He is London-born to Guyanese parents in Tottenham, where he is still an MP. He went on to be the first black Briton to attend Harvard Law School, and in a Tony Blair government he was seen as a rising star when he became a junior minister.
From the backbenches, he then became outspoken on issues around race and social justice, but since returning to the front bench, has softened his language around Trump, and he apologised for nominating Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader back in 2015. In 2016, he was commissioned to lead a review into racial disparities in the justice system.
Dame Emily Thornberry
The Foreign Affairs Committee chair has lived many lives. Born to an academic and teacher, she moved into a council house at seven years old when her parents divorced.
She later became a lawyer specialising in human rights law, and became an MP in 2005 – elected initially from an all-women shortlist. That might be helpful, as inside the Labour Party, it’s widely thought that Ms Rayner’s replacement should be a woman.
While she’s had many roles in opposition – shadow energy minister, shadow attorney general, shadow defence secretary, and shadow foreign secretary – she is probably most known for a controversial tweet. Whilst serving in Ed Miliband’s shadow cabinet, she was forced to resign in 2014 following a picture she posted of an England flag while campaigning in the Rochester and Stroud by-election.
Richard Burgon – the left candidate
With Sir Keir faring badly in the polls, some in the party think this member-led vote could be a way to show their discontent with the prime minister and his government by selecting a staunchly left-wing candidate. Richard Burgon has already been making noises about a potential bid, tweeting how he sees the role of deputy playing out.
The Leeds MP has been a constant pain for the government. A firm left-wing candidate, he has been vocal over Gaza, the winter fuel U-turn, the government’s welfare bill, and he temporarily lost the Labour whip after voting against the government over the two-child benefit cap.
His appointment would be a coup for the left, who have been crushed by Sir Keir since he came to power in 2020. But remember – Rayner’s power came from the fact that she wasn’t just deputy leader, but also deputy prime minister, and had a long-established line into No 10, meaning she had genuine influence.
If the winner is not from the leader’s faction of the party, then the new deputy could be sidelined again.
Political reporter
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.
Who else could throw their hat in the ring?
Other names being touted (some without their knowledge) are former development minister Anneliese Dodds, Dawn Butler, and Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Ms Dodds has bolstered her integrity credentials inside the party since resigning over principles and not in disgrace after the international aid budget was cut. She also has a forensic knowledge of the internal workings of the Labour Party and, as a former women and equalities minister, has broad appeal within the party.
Dawn Butler has previously expressed an interest in replacing Sadiq Khan as London mayor, but she’s already tweeted today about how she could pivot to other positions – so one to watch.
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The 2024 intake is also a large and unpredictable group. They’ve flexed their muscles before over the welfare rebellion, proving not only their ambitions, but their soft left leaning credentials too, even surprising the prime minister. Could they galvanise and organise a candidate between themselves in the time to nominate?
The deputy position is an elected position that will eventually go out to the wide membership, but MPs need to first get 80 nominations from their own MPs.
At midday today, the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will have a full meeting to agree a timetable and code of conduct for a deputy leadership contest. And because of the London Tube strikes, it will be a digital meeting.
So expect lots of organised high-speed dating-style coffees in Portcullis House, and hushed conversations in corridors today – or more likely the unending WhatsApp groups with disappearing messages.
The sudden nature of this contest, coupled with the speed at which it has to happen, means really anyone now has a shot.
