Lucy Powell emerged victorious in the Labour Party’s deputy leadership election, advocating for a change in direction. She secured 87,407 votes from party members and affiliates, surpassing her opponent Bridget Phillipson who received 73,536 votes. The election saw a turnout of 16.6%, with 160,993 votes cast out of 970,642 eligible voters.
This outcome signals a lack of enthusiasm among party supporters for the current trajectory, presenting a challenge for Ms. Powell to motivate activists. Following her removal from Sir Keir’s Cabinet in September, she expressed her intention to refrain from returning to a government role to freely address the party’s direction in governance.
In a clear critique of Labour’s strategy regarding Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, Ms. Powell emphasized that mimicking Reform’s approach is not the path to victory. She stressed the need for Labour to reclaim the political narrative and drive the agenda more decisively.
After her win, Ms. Powell asserted, “It starts with us taking control of the political conversation and setting a stronger agenda. We cannot allow Farage and his associates to dominate it. Their blame on immigration for the nation’s issues is misguided. We believe that the system has long favored a few at the expense of the majority.”
Responding to her victory, the Prime Minister extended congratulations, describing Ms. Powell as an “incredible” Deputy Leader. He expressed eagerness to collaborate with her as his Labour Government continues to pursue the change desired by the British populace.
Ms. Powell, elected as the MP for Manchester Central in 2012, becomes the fourth woman to hold the position of Labour Party deputy leader, following Margaret Beckett, Harriet Harman, and Angela Rayner.
In a statement upon resigning from her roles, Ms. Rayner emphasized the importance of boldness in Labour’s approach and vowed to advocate vigorously for change. Despite the change in her title, she affirmed her commitment to upholding socialist values in her work in the Commons.
Previously, Ms. Rayner faced resignations from her positions as Housing Secretary, Deputy PM, and Labour’s deputy leader due to a stamp duty oversight at her residence in Hove. The PM’s ethics chief found that she had underpaid the tax on the property in East Sussex by £40,000, leading to her stepping down from her roles.
