Bridget Phillipson will go head-to-head with Lucy Powell

Bridget Phillipson is set to take on Lucy Powell to be Labour’s new deputy leader after both women gained enough support from their fellow MPs.

Phillipson, the education secretary, received 175 nominations – well over the 80 needed to make it through to the next stage of the race to succeed Angela Rayner, who resigned last week.

Powell ended up on 117, with left-winger Bell Ribeiro-Addy on 24.

An ally of Phillipson, who is seen as the No.10-approved candidate, described the result as “a bit of a rout”.

Both her and Powell will now need to get enough support from constituency parties and affiliated unions to get through to the final ballot, when Labour members will be given the final say. The winner will be announced on October 25.

Powell said: “This is not a contest I expected nor any of us wanted but we must use it to focus on how the new deputy leader can be a bridge for all parts of our movement and help the government deliver the progressive change the country needs.

“I am Labour through and through. I will always fight for our party, our values and our traditions. At a time when there are forces trying to spread division and hatred, Labour must be the voice........

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