Phillipson and Thornberry under six Labor Deputy HopeFuls

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has emerged as the leader under six Labor MPs who compete to be the next deputy leader of the party.

Those who want to step in the stylish shoes of Angela Rayner must secure the support of 80 MPs on Thursday at 5:00 PM – a tight timetable that is criticized by some in work.

Towards the end of Tuesday, Phillipson had collected 44 supporters, followed by former commons leader Lucy Powell with 35 names, and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a member of the socialist campaign group of Labor, was in third place with eight.

Chairman of the Foreign Committee Dame Emily Thornberry had seven backers, backbencher Paula Barker Three, and Minister of Housing Alison McGovern only two.

The competition will influence the future direction of labor, because the party is struggling with political competition from left and right.

In addition to finding out their parliamentary colleagues, the candidates also need the support of 5% of the local parties, or three affiliated groups for labor, including two trade unions.

Those who free up the bar are confronted with a vote by party members, announced with the winner on October 25.

The party is planning Hustings at its annual conference at the end of September, giving candidates the chance to take their pitch to Labor members.

Phillipson, the only member of the cabinet who has her intention to leave so far, is expected to be more in favor of the government than competing candidates.

On Tuesday she told the TUC conference that she would ensure that Rayner’s labor account was not weakened, and promised “no ifs, no buts, we will fully implement the bill”.

Phillipson was chosen for the first time as the Member of Parliament for Hoeghton and Sunderland in 2010 and became shadow education secretary and subsequent education secretary in 2021 when Labor won power last year.

Phillipson announced her decision to run and described herself as a “proud woman from the working class from the northeast” who would fight “the reform of the dangers for our country”.

“Because you are not mistaken: we are fighting in a fight,” she said. “But not only I am ready: I ​​have proven that we can do it.

“I have shown that we can defeat Farage in the northeast, while we remain faithful to the values ​​of equality, fairness and social justice of the Labor Party.”

Lucy Powell, who was fired last Friday as the leader of the Lower House government, said she had decided to stand after receiving “a lot of encouragement”.

“Living with my family in my home town, Manchester, has rooted my politics in an understanding of the daily hope and fears of people,” she added.

“If our deputy leader, I would ensure that they are central to what we do and how we work, bring all parts of the party together and unite our broad voter coalition.”

Ribeiro-Addy, a backbencher from the left of the party that represents Clapham and Brixton Hill, is one of those who have criticized the timetable of the competition.

“It is absolutely unfair, and I don’t think it’s what membership wants,” she told the BBC Radio 4’s Today program, adding that Labor should have a discussion about “what is wrong” with the direction of the party.

She voted against the government earlier, including Cut the benefits and decision Ban Palestine Action as a terrorist groupAnd said that many workers and voters were also unhappy about the position of the UK about the war in Gaza and cuts on well -being.

Earlier this year, the government tried to make changes that would have saved £ 5.5 billion a year by the budget for benefits by 2030, but it was forced into a U-turn after a rebellion after a backbench Labor parliament members.

Ribeiro-Addy could struggle to win enough nominations from MPS to reach the next phase of the competition, but if she was chosen, she would probably be a critical voice of the Starmer government.

Dame Emily stated her intention to get up and indicated that she would not give the leadership an easy ride if successful.

The Member of Parliament of Islington South and Finsbury said in a message on social media: “We fought hard for a Labor government, but we have made mistakes and have to listen.

“I will be a voice for membership, the trade unions, PLP and our voters – not just nodding along.”

Dame Emily was the shadow attorney general of the party when Labor was in opposition, but did not get a task from the government By Sir Keir Starmer when the party instead became chairman of the Common Commons Committee.

Under her most important issues she mentioned Welfare, Gaza, Changes in support for special education and disabilities support And a wealth tax.

Some working lists, as well as the head of the TUC Union Umbrella Group, have encouraged the government to consider taxes on the rich when it produces its budget in November.

Liverpool Wavertree parliament member Paula Barker said she had decided to run because she “worried about the lack of geographical and political diversity at the top of our party”.

She said that Labor could not assume Reform UK “at their own game”.

“Instead, we have to go back to our true labor values, which means fighting for our public services, putting employees back in the heart of our agenda and fulfilling our promise to prioritize people over profit,” she added.

McGovern, a Minister of Housing and the Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, said that the country was confronted with “a huge threat to the dark forces of right -wing populism”, adding: “We will only defeat that threat by giving people real hope and pride in our diverse country.”

She said she believed that she “could form our story, communicate our values ​​in a way that resonates about the workers’ family and with the public.”

Until now, no male candidates have announced their intention to run, and some senior figures in the party, including former deputy leader Harriet Harman, have said that the position must be held by a woman.

Baroness Harman said that Labor – who has never had a permanent female leader – needed a substitute who “could broaden the leader’s reach and galvanize the party”.

Those who win the competition will remain David Lammy as a Deputy Prime Minister – a role appointed by the prime minister, instead of closed by members of the Labor Party.

Last week, Rayner resigned from the roleLike her post as a home saint, after she admitted that she did not pay enough tax on her £ 800,000 flat in Hove.

Sir Laurie Magnus, the Ethical Adviser of the Prime Minister, discovered that she received legal advice when buying the real estate, but failed to ask for further expert tax advice as recommended.

Rayner said that she “took full responsibility for this error” and added: “It was never my intention to do anything else than to pay the correct amount.”