UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Lucy Powell wins Labour’s deputy leadership with 54% of votes, defeating education secretary Bridhet Philipons, and promising renewed energy within the party.
As reported by The Guardian, Lucy Powell has been elected Labour’s deputy leader after defeating Bridget Phillipson in the party’s leadership contest.
How many votes did Lucy Powell get to win the Labour deputy race?
Lucy Powell, removed as Commons leader in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reshuffle, remained the frontrunner throughout the deputy leadership contest.
Ms Powell secured 87,407 votes, or 54% of the total, while Ms Phillipson gained 73,536; voter turnout was 16.6%.
The deputy leadership contest was closer than expected, with a Survation poll earlier this week projecting Powell to win 58% of ballots.
Labour announced the result, widely seen as a vote of confidence in the party’s direction under Keir Starmer. However, Ms Phillipson was Downing Street’s preferred candidate.
What did Lucy Powell say about Labour’s approach, government failings, and party values?
In her victory speech before Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, she highlighted government failings and said Labour lacked strength against Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
She said the party “won’t win by trying to out-Reform Reform.”
Ms Powell called on party leaders to listen to members and rebel MPs, several of whom lost the whip over welfare and two-child benefit issues.
She stated,
“Our members and our elected representatives are not our weakness, they’re our key asset, delivering change on the ground. Unity and loyalty comes from collective purpose, not from command-and-control. Debating, listening and hearing is not dissent. It’s our strength.”
Ms Powell said,
“We have to offer hope, to offer the big change the country’s crying out for. We must give a stronger sense of our purpose, whose side we’re on, and of our Labour values and beliefs. That’s what I’ve heard loudly and clearly around the country these last few weeks.”
She added,
“Whilst we’re doing many good things … people feel that this government is not being bold enough in delivering the kind of change we promised. I’ll be a champion for our Labour values and boldness in everything we do. It starts with us wrestling back the political megaphone and setting the agenda more strongly. Because let’s be honest, we’ve let Farage and his ilk run away with it.”
Ms Powell stated,
“Division and hate are on the rise, discontent and disillusionment widespread, the desire for change impatient and palpable. People are looking around, looking elsewhere for answers, and we as the Labour party, as the party of government, have to step forward and take this on. We have this one big chance to show that progressive, mainstream politics really can change people’s lives for the better.”
What did Sir Keir Starmer say on Powell’s victory and party challenges?
Labour leader Keir Starmer praised Lucy Powell, deputy leader, while acknowledging the party’s struggles after losing a Welsh parliament seat to Plaid Cymru.
He critiqued Conservative MP Katie Lam’s statement, saying many legal UK residents should have their right to stay revoked to create a “culturally coherent” population.
Mr Starmer warned the remarks reveal Conservatives and Reform are leading Britain toward a “very dark place.”
He said,
“Our job, whoever we are in this party, is to unite every single person in this country who is opposed to that politics, and to defeat it, once and for all.”
Mr Starmer added,
“This week we received another reminder of just how urgent that task is. A bad result in Wales. I accept that, but it is a reminder that people need to look out their window and see change and renewal in their community, opportunities for their children, public services rebuilt, the cost-of-living crisis tackled.”
He said,
“We’ll get going straight away, because Lucy has always been a proud defender of Labour values and that is exactly what we need at this moment.”
The Labour leader stated,
“We need to come together to defend those values, values that are not just Labour values but also British values, decency, compassion, respect for difference, optimism about the future and pride in all the people and communities that make this country so great.”
He continued,
“We must unite, we must keep our focus on what is, in my view, the defining battle for the soul of our nation, and I know Lucy will do just that.”
What did Bridget Phillipson say after losing Labour deputy leadership?
Bridget Phillipson said,
“Of course I’m disappointed to lose, but I want to congratulate Lucy, she ran a good campaign.”
She stated,
“She has my full support. What we all need to do now is unite as a party, beat Reform and secure that second term Labour government.”
Ms Phillipson added,
“What I heard from members right across the country is that they do want us to be proud of the achievements so far of this government, and you’ll be hearing a lot more from me in the weeks and months to come.”
What did Kevin Hollinrake say about Keir Starmer and Bridget Phillipson after Lucy Powell’s win?
Kevin Hollinrake, chairman of the Conservative Party, stated,
“Weak Keir Starmer has had the candidate he didn’t want and who he fired last month imposed on him by the Labour Party.”
He argued Mr Starmer lacked the backbone to challenge Ms Powell on welfare spending and argued he still “won’t have the backbone” to do so now.
Mr Hollinrake stated,
“That means more unfunded welfare spending like reversing the two-child cap and higher taxes this autumn to pay for it.”
He added,
“The failure of the Keir Starmer candidate, Bridget Philipson, is another defeat of the prime minister’s authority. Phillipson should now get back to reversing all the damage she has done to England’s education system.”
What triggered Labour’s deputy leadership contest?
The deputy leadership contest followed Angela Rayner’s resignation over underpaid stamp duty in Brighton.
In her first Commons appearance since stepping down, she confirmed she would pay “any taxes owed” following an ethics adviser’s findings.
She welcomed Lucy Powell as her successor as Labour deputy leader, describing her as “delighted” and a “powerful voice” for the party.
Ms Rayner added,
“From free school meals to breakfast clubs, she’s delivering for the next generation.”
Ms Powell is closely associated with the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, who was reportedly positioning himself for leadership before the conference.
