51 m. ago Starmer loyalist Bridget Phillipson surges into pole position in Labour deputy leader race after she woos unions by vowing workers' rights overhaul WON'T be watered down

The Education Secretary, an ally of Sir Keir Starmer, has so far secured the backing of 44 Labour MPs in the battle to become the party's number two.

Politics

2 h. ago Phillipson the frontrunner as six female Labour MPs enter deputy leader race

Alison McGovern and Paula Barker latest to join contest, as well as Emily Thornberry, Lucy Powell and Bell Ribeiro-AddyWho is in the running for deputy leader?UK politics live – latest updatesBridget Phillipson has thrown her hat in the ring for the Labour deputy leadership contest, becoming the early favourite to win as she is most likely to meet the threshold of MP nominations.While Labour party members, many of whom are to the left of Keir Starmer’s leadership, could be suspicious of the education secretary’s role as a serving cabinet minister, she is likely to be seen by MPs as No 10’s de facto candidate and so will secure much of the “payroll” vote. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago 'New deputy Labour leader must be Northerner who understands life outside Westminster'

Chris Webb, Labour MP for Blackpool South, says the new deputy leader of Labour must be someone from the North, who 'understands the rhythms of life outside Westminster'

Politics

2 h. ago Phillipson, Powell, Thornberry, McGovern and Barker enter race to be Labour deputy leader

Five more women join Ribeiro-Addy in contest that threatens to reopen party debate about wealth taxes

Politics

2 h. ago Bridget Phillipson makes big promise to unions as she joins Labour deputy leader race

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson threw her hat into the ring today to become deputy Labour leader as the race to succeed Angela Rayner began in earnest

Politics

3 h. ago Bridget Phillipson emerges as frontrunner for Labour’s deputy leader as six candidates join race

Labour figures are battling to get nominations from 80 MPs by Thursday – or they face being out of the contest to replace Angela Rayner

Politics

3 h. ago Starmer loyalist Bridget Phillipson woos unions in Labour deputy leader battle vowing workers' rights overhaul WON'T be watered down

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed she is running to replace Angela Rayner and 'unite our great party'.

Politics

4 h. ago Voices: Sorry, Bridget Phillipson – you’re not going to be Labour’s deputy leader. Here’s why

The education secretary is one of the more popular cabinet ministers – but, says John Rentoul, no frontbencher has a hope of winning a contest that’s decided by party members

Politics

4 h. ago Risk of Labour war over deputy leader race as first poll reveals frontrunner

The short deputy leader contest has led some to accuse the party leadership of orchestrating a ‘stitch-up’, while candidate Bell Ribeiro-Addy described it as ‘unfair’

Events

4 h. ago Bridget Phillipson emerges as frontrunner for Labour’s deputy leader as five candidates join race

Labour figures battling to get nominations from 80 MPs by Thursday - or face being out of the contest to replace Angela Rayner

Politics

5 h. ago Rachel Reeves hits out at 'unproven' wealth taxes as Labour deputy leader hopefuls and MPs urge her to soak the 'rich' to fill huge hole in public finances

Chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted there was no certainty about what revenue a new levy would bring in as she was confronted by an MP in the Commons.

Economics

5 h. ago Labour bigwigs like Bridget Phillipson enter race to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, billed herself as "a proud working-class woman from the north east". Dame Emily Thornberry, an influential committee chair, also threw her hat in the ring

Politics

6 h. ago Lucy Powell to stand for Labour deputy leadership after reshuffle sacking – UK politics live

Former leader of the Commons joins Emily Thornberry, Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in raceKemi Badenoch has just delivered a speech offering to help Labour with legislationg for welfare cuts. I will post key points soon.She is now taking questions. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Battle for Labour deputy job ramps up: Starmer loyalist Bridget Phillipson faces sacked minister Lucy Powell

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed she is running to replace Angela Rayner and 'unite our great party'.

Politics

9 h. ago Risk of Labour war over deputy leader race as Starmer's opinion poll rating slips to record low

The short deputy leader contest has led some to accuse the party leadership of orchestrating a ‘stitch-up’, while candidate Bell Ribeiro-Addy described it as ‘unfair’

Events

9 h. ago Streeting says next deputy leader of the Labour Party ‘ideally’ should be a woman

Wes Streeting has said that the next deputy leader of the Labour Party should “ideally” be a woman.

Politics

10 h. ago Phillipson and Thornberry join race to be Labour deputy leader

UK’s education secretary is a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer and will be seen as his preferred candidate

Politics

10 h. ago Emily Thornberry joins deputy Labour leader race and says Gaza and wealth tax among her priorities – UK politics live

Thornberry joins Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in having said she will standEmily Thornberry, the chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has confirmed that she is standing to be Labour’s deputy leader.In a statement on social media, she says:I’m running for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen.We do have to accept that we have to have a discussion about what members don’t like and what voters don’t like, and what’s gone wrong.It’s very important to note that a load of Labour members and voters are unhappy about the handling of the situation in Gaza, the winter fuel allowance, the welfare cuts.The Labour party is a broad church and, actually, when we are able to have debates, when we are able to bring forward different views, it actually makes us better. It makes us more appealing to the electorate and, more importantly, it’s what the Labour membership wants to see.One homogenous view is ...

Politics

10 h. ago First cabinet minister enters race to become deputy Labour leader – UK politics live

Bridget Phillipson describes herself as ‘a proud working-class woman’ in statement announcing her bid to replace Angela RaynerWes Streeting, the health secretary, hasn’t just been on the Today programme this morning; he has been doing a media round, promoting the new NHS league tables for England, and in other interviews he has revealed more about why he is not committing to backing Bridget Phillipson for deputy leader at this point. (See 8.35am.)In an interview with Times Radio, Streeting said he would “certainly prefer the next deputy leader to be a woman”.[Phillipson] would definitely be a great deputy leader if she was chosen. There are other women in the race who I think would also be great deputy leaders. So I’m not endorsing anyone at this stage.Without being disrespectful to some brilliant women in London who are standing, like Emily Thornberry [whom] I’ve got a lot of respect for, I can well understand why lots of my colleagues are saying we should have a deputy leader from...

Politics

11 h. ago Bridget Phillipson becomes first cabinet minister to join Labour’s deputy leader race

Leftwing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has also declared she wants to run and Dame Emily Thornberry is looking for nominations

Politics