Lucy Powell eyes return as Labour's Deputy Leader

Lucy Powell, former Leader of the House of Commons, is now in the running for Labour's deputy leadership, sparking surprise and speculation.

 Bridget Phillipson, her competitor, similarly had no idea she would be in this situation. She contemplated for more than a day whether to run at all after being hurt by some of the internal briefing that criticized her role as education secretary. It has not been easy to be portrayed as the preferred choice.

 Nevertheless, the outcome is likely to have profound consequences.

“The result obviously matters, and the centre know it,”

a Labour source said.

“Why else would they have gone to bat so hard for their candidate?”

 It is difficult to think that the outcome will bring about any renewed unity. Powell's followers, in particular, are extremely offended by the way their candidate has been presented as the careless misfit.

 Powell was referred to as "the Momentum candidate" over the weekend, and Phillipson stated in an interview that she would cost the party the election.

 “People keep saying the gloves are off – there is only one candidate with the gloves off and it’s not Lucy,”

one MP said. Another said:

“It’s clear that when the leadership preach unity they only mean one thing – avoid any criticism or debate even when we’re making serious mistakes.”

 The results and a brief remark from the winner will be shown on a webcam in Labour HQ on Saturday; there won't be a large event to commemorate the outcome. The modest strategy has angered some of Powell's supporters. There are concerns that she might be effectively shut out, and it's unclear if she'll be able to organize elections or make her own broadcast rounds.

“They need to respect the mandate if she wins,”

one ally said.

 With a high bar for MP nominations, senior strategists had hoped five weeks ago to avoid a contest at all. The deputy leader position was crowded out when Keir Starmer appointed the party chair and deputy prime minister in the reshuffle.

 However, despite pressure from several ministers and aides to support Phillipson, a solution appeared impossible due to a restive parliamentary party.

 Powell appeared invincible with a 17-point lead after the initial surveys were released, amidst the chaos surrounding the exit of both Rayner and Peter Mandelson. However, there are many unknowns in the race.

 Among their many effective policy approaches, Phillipson's team has addressed child poverty. Apathy among party members is predicted to result in low turnout. Additionally, three significant trade unions that have a vote in the deputy leadership and have never been surveyed have endorsed Phillipson, who enjoys good union connections.

 With a larger membership and more endorsements in London, she is also likely to have devotion in the northeast, which also has a sizable membership. Nevertheless, the majority of Labour MPs think Powell will prevail despite all of those warnings.

 Both have become more outspokenly radical as a result of the leadership contest. Powell has warned that the party's left-wing voters are being lost and has called for an end to factionalism as well as a more forceful attack on Nigel Farage and the politics of division. Additionally, she was the first to advocate for the removal of the two-child benefit cap—a tank on Phillipson's yard.

 “The stakes are, on the surface, incredibly low,”

one MP said.

“But it has the potential to have huge consequences if Lucy wins. But for a hell of a lot of my members, believe it or not, they aren’t even that engaged.”

 Another MP added:

“Members are disengaged with everything frankly – including this – and it’s not good news for the party if that’s the case.”

 However, a person close to Powell stated that she wanted to be as college-like as possible and that she would anticipate attending political cabinet, cautioning that any move to restrict her would have disastrous repercussions. 

being the sole applicant with the power to affect cabinet choices. Members have received several resolute promises from Phillipson. She has agreed to veto any attempt to weaken or delay the ideas, and she will serve on the future work committee, which is in charge of the workers' rights laws.

She promised to formally solicit the opinions of trade unionists and members every three months and submit them straight to the cabinet.

“Do I want my family and myself to be put under the spotlight and face all that … we’ve got to think about how we’re behaving. Some of the things that have been said about me in this campaign by Bridget and her team are frankly appalling as well.”

 Phillipson doubled down, saying Powell would “risk the division that we will see that potentially puts us back on the path to opposition”.

“The members hate disloyalty more than they love any politician,”

an ally of Phillipson said.

“We unapologetically prosecuted the argument that if you’re outside the cabinet, and you’re going out there saying: ‘We need to do X, Y, and Z’ – it will create negative headlines. It’s an entirely legitimate point to make in a campaign.”

 But another Labour source cautioned Downing Street against isolating Powell should she win.

“What is needed after this contest is for the Labour family to come together as a broad church. Anyone who thinks the outcome should be to lock people out has not been listening to the broad desire for unity.”

 Her team is nervous that her victory is seen as a foregone conclusion. Some MPs are even more worried that it would be yet another destabilising moment should she win. “I am dreading it if Lucy wins, every time she opens her mouth it will be a divisive moment,” one MP said.

 Powell insists she is not there to cause disruption but said a victory would be a “mandate for change” in how Labour operated and its messaging.

“The country needs us to prove the model that progressive mainstream politics can actually make a difference. If I win, I’m going to get to work on that straight away.”

How did Lucy Powell respond publicly after Rayner's resignation?

After Angela Rayner’s resignation, Lucy Powell intimately responded by fiercely  censuring the “ opaque realm of anonymous briefings ” circulating within the Labour deputy leadership race. 

 Powell denied claims that she was sacked from her  former Cabinet part due to a loss of trust related to briefings or leaks,  rather suggesting these negative narratives  began from her opponent's  sympathizers. 

 Powell emphasized her commitment to a fair contest, refusing to engage in smear  juggernauts herself and  pressing that both she and Phillipson brought unique strengths as strong women  contending for the deputy leader position.