Emily Thornberry Withdraws Labour Deputy Leadership Race

Emily Thornberry has withdrawn from the Labour Party’s deputy leadership race, acknowledging her limited support with only 13 MP backers. This withdrawal leaves the contest increasingly focused on a two-horse race between Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Commons leader Lucy Powell, who are both close to, or have exceeded, the required 80 MP nomination threshold. Alison McGovern also dropped out earlier, endorsing Phillipson, who currently leads with 116 nominations, while Powell has 77, making her likely to advance. The race is seen by many within the party as a contest influenced by geography and identity politics, with a preference for a northern woman to fill the vacancy left by Angela Rayner. Both Phillipson and Powell have portrayed themselves as loyal to Keir Starmer’s leadership, avoiding direct criticism, while other candidates had called for change. The final nominations are due by 5 pm, with party members preparing to choose between the two front-runners at the next stage of the election.