Final two candidates confirmed in Labour’s deputy leadership race | Politics News

Left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has said she did not secure the nominations required to make it into the next round of Labour’s deputy leadership contest.

It means it is now a two-horse race between Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Commons leader Lucy Powell, after the other three contenders pulled out.

In a statement on social media, Ms Ribeiro-Addy said: “Unfortunately, I have not secured the high number of nominations required to proceed in the deputy leadership contest. I am disappointed that the full range of Labour members’ views will not be represented on the ballot paper.”

The required nominations from fellow Labour MPs was 80, which Ms Phillipson surpassed yesterday evening with 116 votes. Ms Powell was just shy of the threshold at 77 as of 7pm Wednesday, however many MPs have declared their backing for her since.

The deadline to reach 80 was 5pm Thursday. However, nominations only opened on Tuesday, leading to criticism from many on the left that it was not enough time for them to shore up support.

Initially six people threw their hat in the ring, however housing minister Alison McGovern dropped out on Wednesday after conceding she was not going to get the support required.

Dame Emily Thornberry and Paula Barker quit the race this morning.