Keir Starmer’s leadership of Labour has been dealt a blow after former cabinet minister Lucy Powell, who has criticised his leadership and policies, was elected as deputy leader.
Ms Powell beat Sir Keir’s preferred candidate Bridget Phillipson by 87,407 votes to 73,576 in a clear message from Labour members that they want a change of direction. Although the turnout was only 16.6 per cent.
The result is a huge comeback for Ms Powell, who was sacked as Commons leader by Starmer in last month’s reshuffle caused by the departure of Angela Rayner, whom she has now been elected to replace.
Additionally, Ms Powell, the MP for Manchester Central, is close to Manchester mayor Andy Burnham who many would like to see replace Sir Keir as leader.
It comes after another appalling week for the prime minister which has left him on the political ropes with MPs openly discussing replacing him if elections go badly next May.
Giving her final interview before voting closed to The Independent, Ms Powell warned that “we need to make some changes to how we operate” as she admitted the party has “not been able to control the agenda… we’ve made some mistakes, some missteps”.
She called for MPs suspended for rebelling over planned welfare cuts to be allowed back in the parliamentary party and pushed for a rapid change of direction on policies including the two-child benefit and fairness in the Budget.
Ms Powell went on to state that the party needs to change following her victory.
She said: “We have to offer hope, to offer the big change the country is crying out for.
“We must give a stronger sense of our purpose, of whose side we are on, of our Labour values and beliefs.
“That’s what I’ve heard loudly and clearly around the country these last few weeks. As deputy, my job will be to bring those voices into the heart of our Party.
“Because whilst we are doing many good things, people feel that this government is not being bold enough in delivering the kind of change we promised.”
She warned that the party needs to “build a progressive alliance” as Labour’s vote fractures on the left and repeated her warning that the party “cannot out Reform, Reform” on issues like immigration.
And she told an audience including the prime minister that the party “has not been bold enough” in government. She told them that they need to start “setting the agenda”.
The media were excluded from the event as Labour attempted to minimise media exposure on another difficult day for Sir Keir. The result itself was played out in a small room with only a few invited guests.
Sir Keir was present and speaking after Ms Powell welcomed her election as his deputy.
He said: “I’m delighted to start working with Lucy as our new deputy leader. We’ll get going straight away.”
But he insisted “we must unite” as a party with concerns about divisions hanging over the result.
He said: “Our job is to unite every single person in this country who is opposed to [right-wing] politics and wants it defeated once and for all. And that means we must press ahead with the renewal that working people need to see.”
Highlighting comments by Tory MP Katie Lam about deporting migrants he said that the danger in politics was highlighted this week.
“People need to look out their window and see change and renewal in their community, opportunities for their children, public services rebuilt, the cost of living crisis tackled. Renewal is the only answer to decline, to grievance and to division, and we have to keep going on that. It is the offer we must make to the people of Scotland, Wales and England next year, and that means we must come together. We must unite.”
The week has seen his party lose the Caerphilly seat in Wales, a result he acknowledged as “bad” for the party, after holding it for more than a century. Added to that the grooming gang inquiry is in crisis after victims quit its board and the final candidate to chair it withdrew.
Sir Keir’s much vaunted returns deal to France also suffered a blow when it was discovered one of those sent back on the “one in, one out” deal had returned on a small boat.
Meanwhile, a Techne UK poll confirmed that left-wing voters are abandoning Labour, benefiting the Green Party whose support has surged by three points to 12 per cent. Labour was down to just 19 per cent, below 20 per cent for the first time since Jeremy Corbyn was leader.
Political opponents sought to capitalise on Sir Keir’s embarrassment at having a deputy he sacked from his cabinet just weeks ago.
Tory chair Kevin Hollinrake said: “Weak Keir Starmer has had the candidate he didn’t want and who he fired last month imposed on him by the Labour Party.”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The fact that media were not allowed in to this announcement says it all. Labour just doesn’t listen.
“People are feeling frustrated and disappointed that the Government has failed to deliver the change they promised, after years of Conservative chaos and neglect.”
