Emily Thornberry confirms tax-hiking deputy leadership bid as she launches thinly veiled attack on Keir Starmer
GB NEWS
Emily Thornberry's biggest challenger appears to be Bridget Phillipson
Don't Miss
Most Read
Trending on GB News
Labour MP Emily Thornberry has confirmed she will join the race to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader of the party.
In a statement on social media, Ms Thornberry appeared to take a thinly veiled swipe at Sir Keir Starmer over "mistakes" made since his landslide victory last July.
She said: "I'm running for deputy leader of the Labour Party. We fought hard for a Labour Government.
"But we've made mistakes and must listen. Welfare. Gaza. Wealth tax. Changes to come on SEND. I will be a voice for the membership, unions, PLP, and our constituents - not just nod along."
Ms Thornberry had served as Sir Keir's Shadow Attorney General up until the 2024 General Election, before being sacked and replaced by the Prime Minister's pal Lord Hermer.
She will have to fend off challenges from five other MPs, all bidding to be deputy leader of the party.
The education secretary Bridget Phillipson remains the frontrunner, with a poll of members suggesting she is the most popular candidate.
Ms Phillipson said: "As a proud working-class woman from the North East, I have come from a tough council street all the way to the cabinet.
"I will be a strong voice to unite our party, take the fight to Reform, and deliver for our country."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Keir Starmer brands Nigel Farage a 'plastic patriot' at mass Labour MP meeting amid leadership reset turmoil
- 'There's no time!' Infighting erupts as Labour left 'big beasts' launch urgent bids to replace Angela Rayner
- 'We cannot invest!' Sir Jim Ratcliffe's energy empire to leave UK and blames Labour's North Sea oil tax raid
Poll on the list of possible deputy leaders
|LABOURLIST
Other candidates in the offering include Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Lucy Powell, Paula Barker and Alison McGovern.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the MP for Clapham and Brixton Hall and the least likely candidate in the poll, said she believes Labour needs to "urgently go back to the guiding values of our party and movement".
She has urged the Labour Party to "return to its best traditions of open debate and tolerance of dissent".
Lucy Powell, who was dropped by Sir Keir as Leader of the House of Commons, entered the running, vowing to "fight every day to deliver change".
Ms Thornberry appeared to take a swipe at Sir Keir in her announcement for candidacy
| PAShe pledged to bring "all parts of [the] party" together and pushed Labour to "use all our talents and experience to ensure our Government, led by our Prime Minister, is successful in delivering our mandate of change".
Paula Barker, who was not on the poll, announced she was putting herself in the running today, two days before the deadline for candidates.
She fears a "lack of geographical and political diversity at the top of Labour," echoing the thoughts of numerous MPs about the threat of Reform UK.
The MP for Liverpool Wavertree said: "We cannot fight Reform at their own game, nor should we want to. Instead, we need to go back to our true Labour values."
The frontrunner for deputy leader at the moment is Bridget Phillipson
| GETTYReform continues to be the direct threat to Labour, polling at 28 per cent, according to YouGov, with Labour at just 20 per cent.
Alison McGovern announced her plans to stand, voicing her support for trade unions.
She said: "As we enter the next phase of this Government, we need to quickly show that we have learned the lessons of our first year in office and waste no time in delivering on the promise of change that got us elected last year.
"Our country faces a huge threat from the forces of right-wing populism. We will only defeat that threat by giving people real hope and pride in our diverse country."