Emily Thornberry quit the Labour deputy leader battle today - as Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell look set to face off for the key job.
The Foreign Affairs Committee chair said it had been a 'privilege' to compete, but she was withdrawing.
Paula Barker has also pulled out and thrown her weight behind Ms Powell, almost certainly putting her over the threshold for reaching the next stage of the contest.
The moves come as the deadline for nominations looms at 5pm tonight. Dame Emily only had 13 MP supporters - who will now be able to choose again. She did not say whom she would be backing.
So far, only Education Secretary Ms Phillipson has secured backing from enough MPs to make it past the first round, sailing over the line with 116 nominations by 7pm on Wednesday.
