Closing speeches set the tone for Labour’s deputy leadership race
As Labour’s annual conference drew to a close, the party’s deputy leadership contest took centre stage. The two candidates, Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson, faced questions from members as they framed the election as a choice about Labour’s future direction. Powell, who was sacked from the cabinet in a recent reshuffle, presented herself as an independent, backbench “shop steward” for members, while Phillipson urged a focus on keeping the government on track and avoiding a slide into internal divisions.
The core argument: change, unity, and the path to government
Phillipson put a stark choice to the party: victory for Powell could bring “division and disunity” that would derail Labour’s drive to govern. In her view, the party must seize a “golden opportunity to change Britain” and avoid being pulled into internal squabbles that feed the pages of right-wing newspapers and risk returning Labour to opposition. “Change is on the ballot at this election. The choice is what kind of change,” she told delegates, arguing that Labour should be bold and push the government to be “bolder, to go further, to do more” with her at the cabinet table.
Powell, defending her pitch, insisted she did not seek dissent for its own sake. She described herself as someone who would be open to difficult conversations and necessary debates, but not to sniping from the sidelines. “I won’t shy away from the difficult conversations, but I won’t snipe from the sidelines,” she said, calling herself the backbench voice that could help bridge gaps between activists and the leadership. She framed the deputy role as a constructive check and a practical avenue for Labour to mobilise the energy of its members around tangible policy progress.
Keeping Labour united while pursuing bold change
The tension between the two candidates reflects a broader debate within Labour about how to balance principled stance with practical governance. Phillipson emphasised unity as a precondition for delivering change, warning that a divided party could be “on the road to opposition” and fail to translate popular support into effective policy. Powell, meanwhile, framed unity not as conformity but as a shared resolve to tackle the big challenges facing Britain, using the deputy leadership platform to push for reforms that she believes would better connect Labour’s leadership with the people at the doorstep, in workplaces, and across communities.
What the debate signals for Labour’s direction
Two intertwined themes emerge from the speeches: how Labour defines bold policy change and how it sustains a coherent, effective government-in-waiting. If Powell wins, the emphasis may be on reform-minded, member-driven oversight—keeping the party’s energy connected to its grassroots while pushing for rapid, visible policy shifts. If Phillipson’s view prevails, the narrative could stress discipline, strategic governance, and a cautious path toward broad, stable change that resists fracturing the party in challenging times.
The conference also highlighted the tension between party rhetoric and the practicalities of governing. Debates over employment rights and other policy reforms, and the broader question of how Labour would implement ambitious pledges if it were to return to office, hung over the debate. Yet both candidates repeatedly returned to the central premise: Labour must be credible, united, and capable of delivering real improvements for ordinary people, not merely winning headlines or winning power for its own sake.
Context and what comes next
With the deputy leadership decision looming, party members are weighing which approach best translates into credible governance. The exchange at the hustings underscored a wider question about Labour’s identity in opposition and in government: how to maintain energy and accountability while presenting a coherent, effective plan for the future. The result will shape not only the deputy leadership’s role but the trajectory of Labour’s broader strategy as it prepares for the challenges of the coming years.
As the conference concludes and the focus shifts to campaigning, Labour supporters will be watching closely to see whether the party can translate the call for bold, collective action into a unified, government-ready platform that resonates with voters and withstands the rigours of national politics.
