Lucy Powell has emerged as the newly elected Labour deputy leader, narrowly defeating Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson in a closely contested election. Powell, the former leader of the Commons, garnered 87,407 votes in the race to succeed Angela Rayner, surpassing Phillipson who received 73,536 votes.
Powell’s victory comes after her dismissal from the Cabinet during the reshuffle following Rayner’s resignation last month. Her win is viewed as a signal from Labour members for a shift in direction away from Keir Starmer’s Government.
In her post-election speech, Powell emphasized the urgent need to address rising division and discontent in the country. She stressed the importance of progressive politics in improving people’s lives and reaffirmed the Labour Party’s commitment to tackling deep-rooted inequalities.
A total of 970,642 eligible voters participated in the election, with a turnout of 16.6%. Powell urged her party to provide hope and deliver the significant change that the nation seeks.
Prime Minister congratulated Powell on her victory, praising her as an outstanding Deputy leader. He expressed his eagerness to collaborate with Powell and advance the transformative agenda that the British public endorsed in the previous year’s election.
Powell, who first entered Parliament as the MP for Manchester Central in 2012, becomes only the fourth woman to hold the position of Labour deputy leader, following Margaret Beckett, Harriet Harman, and Rayner.
Rayner, in her resignation statement, emphasized the importance of bold action in Labour’s approach, pledging to continue her fight for change. Despite her change in title, Rayner affirmed her unwavering commitment to socialist values and determination in serving the public.