Education Secretary vows to take ‘fight to Reform’ as she becomes second MP to throw hat into the ring to replace Angela Rayner

Louise Haigh, Shabana Mahmood and Dame Meg Hillier also among candidates for Labour deputy leadership

Party’s ruling body agrees nominations to open on Tuesday and close at 5pm on Thursday

Potential candidates have begun to jostle for position in what might become a divisive battle to succeed Angela Rayner.

Candidates will need at least 80 nominations to stand chance of succeeding Angela Rayner in role

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed she is running to replace Angela Rayner and 'unite our great party'.

Leftwing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has also declared she wants to run and Dame Emily Thornberry is looking for nominations

Education secretary says she aims to ‘unite our great party and deliver for working people’

Bridget Phillipson describes herself as ‘a proud working-class woman’ in statement announcing her bid to replace Angela Rayner

Education Secretary vows to take ‘fight to Reform’ as she becomes second MP to throw hat into the ring to replace Angela Rayner

The education secretary enters contest to replace Angela Rayner, saying she can take the fight to Reform and defeat Nigel Farage

Thornberry joins Bridget Phillipson and Bell Ribeiro-Addy in having said she will stand

It’s a depressing thought that all likely candidates to replace Starmer are worse than him

Candidates are lining up to secure the 80 nominations they need from MPs by 5pm on Thursday in order to reach the knockout round

The Education Secretary, who announced her candidacy on Tuesday, ticks the working-class box but has none of her predecessor’s charisma

Six MPs threw their hat in the ring to replace Angela Rayner as nominations opened in the fast-tracked contest. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson took an early lead on…

Education secretary receives most nominations of the six candidates so far

The education secretary is first to get the 80 MP signatures needed for her nomination but sacked former Commons leader Lucy Powell is just three short with 24 hours before the…

Education secretary and Manchester MP look destined for face-off as three other candidates struggle for MP nominations

MP’s withdrawal along with Paula Barker clears way for contest between Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell

Ms Phillipson, the Education Secretary, and Ms Powell, the former Commons Leader, are expected to go head-to-head in the next stage in the contest to replace Angela Rayner .