Lucy Powell has won Labour’s deputy leadership election, beating her rival Bridget Phillipson. The result was announced this morning after a low-key, five-week contest. Having led in each of the various membership polls, Powell duly triumphed with 54 per cent of the vote to Phillipson’s 46 per cent. A worryingly low turnout of just 16 per cent of the 970,000 eligible Labour members and affiliate voters speaks to the level of discontent and dissatisfaction among the party faithful.
In her victory speech, Powell delivered a textbook mainstream soft left script. ‘My politics have always been shaped as a proud Mancunian’, she said ‘and Labour through and through’. Setting out her ‘diagnosis’ of the nation’s ills, she attacked ‘Farage and his ilk’ for blaming immigrants. Instead, she argued, ‘trickle down economics’ is to blame for Britain’s woes – a slight side-swipe, perhaps, at the Treasury ahead of next month’s Budget. She argued that reversing the inequality gap ought to be her party’s driving mission, ‘because that’s what Labour governments do and have always done.’
Naturally, she pledged her fealty to Keir Starmer, promising to work with the Prime Minister in the fight against ‘division’. But there were still some jibes at the style and strategy of Starmer’s government. Powell took aim at those who practice a ‘command and control’ form of leadership and insisted that ‘we can’t out-Reform Reform’. In his response, Starmer inevitably and implausibly claimed how he is ‘delighted to be working with Lucy’ – just seven weeks after sacking her as the Leader of the House. He urged the party to unite and keep the focus on winning ‘the defining battle for the soul of our nation’ – defeating the right and renewing Britain.
This race was framed as a referendum on Starmer’s leadership
It was all a slightly underwhelming affair. There were none of the fireworks of 1981 in this race, no memorable clashes, aside from a few personal jibes between the two female contenders. Both called for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap and a greater voice for members: the big divide was only whether it was advantageous or not to be making those arguments in cabinet. This race was framed as a referendum on Starmer’s leadership: Downing Street will likely be relieved that Phillipson’s rejection was only by a margin of 10 per cent.
Powell is understood to be having a low-key drinks party with supporters later today. Her team are keen to ensure it is not seen as a celebration, given the circumstances in which this race was held. In her speech, Powell duly praised Angela Rayner, whose resignation over her tax affairs triggered this contest. ‘She’s known for her shoes’, Powell said, ‘and she’s left some very, very big ones here.’ Rayner – whose allies tried to get Starmer out in 2021 – was long regarded as a threat in No. 10. But Powell’s election today means that they have simply seen a charismatic rival replaced with a surly one instead.
Comments