"Candidates vying to be Labour's next deputy leader are racing to get the support of their fellow MPs, as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emerges as a frontrunner. To stay in the contest, they need to secure the backing of 80 MPs by 17:00 on Thursday. Phillipson's team believe they will clear the threshold a day early, after gathering 44 nominations by the end of Tuesday."
"Her closest rivals so far are former Commons leader Lucy Powell with 35 backers and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who is on the left of the party, with eight. They are followed by Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry with seven, Liverpool Wavertree MP Paula Barker with three and Housing Minister Alison McGovern with only two. But with around 300 of the 399 Labour MPs yet to declare their favoured candidate, there is still time for other campaigns to gain momentum."
"Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet - which includes 24 MPs - have been told not to nominate any candidate, though junior ministers are able to do so. But some Labour figures wonder if as many as 80 more could choose not to officially back anyone, shrivelling the electorate. It looks quite likely Phillipson will stack up a very big number of supporters, further squeezing the remaining votes to be fought over."
Bridget Phillipson has gathered 44 MP nominations and is positioned as the leading contender for Labour deputy leader, needing 80 backers by Thursday 17:00 to remain in the contest. Lucy Powell follows with 35 supporters, Bell Ribeiro-Addy has eight, Dame Emily Thornberry seven, Paula Barker three and Alison McGovern two. Around 300 of the 399 Labour MPs have not declared, leaving room for campaigns to gain momentum. Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet were told not to nominate anyone, though junior ministers may. Many fear widespread non-nomination could shrink the electorate and enable Phillipson to dominate the field.
Read at www.bbc.com
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