UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Labour MP Emily Thornberry withdraws from deputy leadership contest, calling it a privilege to run and pledging continued party support.
As reported by The Telegraph, Dame Emily Thornberry has withdrawn from the race to become Labour deputy leader.
What did Emily Thornberry say on withdrawing from the Labour deputy race?
Emily Thornberry said it was a “privilege” to run, but she had decided to withdraw from the race.
The ex-shadow attorney general had been trailing in the race to replace Angela Rayner, with only 13 MPs supporting her as of 10 September, Wednesday night.
She posted on X on Thursday,
“I’m deeply grateful to all the Labour members who have shared their support. But I have decided to withdraw.”
Ms Thornberry added,
“It has been a privilege to take part in this race with such brilliant women. I will always be committed to this party and do everything I can to make it successful.”
In a separate tweet, she posted on X,
“There’s an idea going around Westminster that the DL race is about where you come from, not what you can do for the party. Harman. Prescott. Rayner. What do they have in common? When they spoke, people listened. You’d have a drink with them. And they were Labour to their bones.”
Which candidate is leading in MP nominations for Labour’s deputy leadership race?
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has surpassed the threshold with 116 MP backers, while former Commons leader Lucy Powell is close behind with 77.
As of the latest numbers, Dame Emily Thornberry, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, and Paula Barker had only 42 MPs between them, but Ms Thornberry has now quit the race.
She becomes the second candidate to withdraw from the Labour deputy leader contest after Alison McGovern quit on Wednesday.
What did Paula Barker say about her future in the Labour deputy race?
Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, said she is “genuinely undecided” about her future in the deputy leadership race.
The ex-trade unionist has opposed the government on Gaza and welfare, aligning with the newly formed soft-left “Mainstream group.”
Ms Barker’s supporters are urging her to stay, saying she excelled in an online hustings and could be a real alternative for party members.
If she exits the race, Ms Barker’s backers are likely to support Lucy Powell, highlighting the Manchester Central MP as a key contender.
They said,
“She is closer to Andy Burnham, and she was just sacked, so those who dislike Morgan McSweeney [the prime minister’s chief of staff], I guess will get behind her.”
What did MPs say about Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson in the deputy race?
Several MPs want to avoid a race between Ms Powell and Ms Phillipson, though several praised Ms Powell for her strong performance at the hustings.
One MP stated,
“Her pitch is that she’s been the shop steward of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) in government, but now she’s not in government she can dedicate herself to the role of deputy leader full time without a department to run. She wants to focus on defining our voter coalition and making sure we’re speaking to them.”
They warned that Ms Phillipson could struggle in the deputy leadership role due to the upcoming SEND reforms.
What did Laura Trott say about Bridget Phillipson and union influence?
Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, stated,
“The only consistent strand of this Labour Government is that union demands come ahead of the needs of the country.”
She added,
“Phillipson’s education vandalism, sponsored by the unions, was never about children it was about pleasing her backers and her leadership ambitions.”
How will Labour’s deputy leadership race progress?
Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy prime minister and housing secretary triggered the Labour deputy leadership race following an underpaid stamp duty admission.
Candidates must secure 80 nominations by 5 pm Thursday, with 235 of Labour’s 398 MPs having expressed support by Wednesday night.
If contenders reach 80 nominations by Thursday evening, they will need support from three Labour affiliates, including two trade unions, or 5% of local parties.
The contest continues until 27 September, with a deputy leadership battle set to dominate Labour’s Liverpool conference.
The winning candidates will appear on the ballot for all party members and affiliates, with voting open from 8 to 23 October, closing at noon. The results will be revealed on Saturday, 25 October.