Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has launched her bid for the Labour deputy leadership with a pledge to unite the party and defeat Reform UK, challenging Lucy Powell who lost the Commons leadership post in the recent reshuffle after Angela Rayner’s resignation over her tax affairs. Phillipson said she would give party members a stronger voice in government decisions if elected and that a united party is needed to secure a second Labour term.

Phillipson also signalled she would maintain Angela Rayner’s campaigning role as deputy leader and warned the party must not reopen old wounds or become divided again. She argued victory would require unity across all regions, towns and coastal areas and cautioned that a split could hand an advantage to Reform UK with elections in Scotland, Wales and locally looming.

Only Phillipson and Powell cleared the first nomination hurdle. They then need support from at least 5% of constituency parties or three affiliates, including two affiliated trade unions. The nomination ballot runs from 8 October to 23 October, with the winner announced on 25 October. The contest is viewed by some as a test of the Prime Minister’s leadership, coming after the loss of two high-profile figures – Rayner and Lord Mandelson – within a week. Powell has called for a culture change at Downing Street to be better connected to MPs. Backbenchers have voiced concerns, with Clive Lewis questioning Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership and Barry Gardiner speaking of resentment among MPs and members. Conservative critics, including Dame Priti Patel, have attacked the PM over Mandelson’s departure, arguing it showed instability; Patel wrote in the Sunday Express that the response and the decision not to sack Rayner suggested Sir Keir was unable to withstand scrutiny.