Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Cabinet Office minister Lucy Powell have been confirmed as the final contenders in the Labour deputy leadership race, after both secured enough nominations from MPs to enter the ballot of party members.
Phillipson, the preferred candidate of No 10, received 175 nominations, while Powell, who was recently removed as Leader of the House of Commons, secured 117. Left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy failed to reach the threshold.
The contest is widely seen as a referendum on Keir Starmer's leadership, with Powell backed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, often tipped as a future leader. Powell dismissed talk of a proxy war as sexist, but tensions have risen after the centre-left group Mainstream, backed by Burnham, criticised the government's handling of the Peter Mandelson appointment.
Both candidates have pledged to unite the party and focus on campaigning ahead of the next election. A hustings will take place at Labour Party conference, with ballots opening on 8 October and closing on 23 October. The result will be declared on 25 October.
