It is expected that the leadership election will become a contest between a candidate from the left or soft left of the Labour Party, who may try to influence or pressure the more centrist leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer towards a more left-wing platform, and a centrist or Blairite candidate on the party's right.[2][3][5] The election is expected to overshadow the coinciding period of the Starmer government and has raised concerns of leading to re-emerged factionalism within the party.[6][3] This has led to comparisons with the 1981 deputy leadership election, which saw the party split after left-wing candidate Tony Benn challenged Denis Healey.[7][5][8] It will be the first deputy leadership election held by Labour in government since the 2007 deputy leadership election.
Setting the timeline and scope of the election
The timeline of the campaign will be decided by the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party (NEC).[3] The constitution of the party states that a deputy leadership election, if triggered while Labour is in government, must be held at the next Labour Party Conference, which is currently scheduled to take place from 28 September to 1 October 2025.[9][10] Until then, the Labour cabinet can consult the NEC to appoint an interim deputy leader of its choice, or alternatively choose to keep the deputy leadership vacant until party conference.[11][10] As the election was triggered less than a month before the conference, it has been theorised that the NEC may try to delay the election to a later date.[11][5] Alternatively, Starmer has reportedly considered reviving a failed proposal by his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn which would abolish the position of deputy leader of the Labour Party.[12]
The NEC decided to meet on 8 September to discuss the election.[13]
Timetable
Timetable for the 2025 Labour Party deputy leadership election[14][15]
Deadline for validly nominated candidates to consent to nomination and submit statements for circulation to Constitutency Labour Parties (CLPs) and affiliates (13:00).
13 Sep
Constituency Labour Party and affiliate nominations open.
27 Sep
Close of CLP and affiliate nominations; deadline to clear arrears to be issued a ballot.
5 Oct
Deadline to resolve disputes as to voter eligibility.
Former deputy leader Harriet Harman said that the next deputy should be a woman.[17]
Starmer is not expected to publicly endorse any candidate.[18]
MP nomination stage
One Labour source suggested the race would come down to Powell against Phillipson, but other sources suggested the final ballot would be hard to predict, especially if candidates sought to avoid a contest among members.[19] In the evening of 9 September, Politico's Playbook newsletter suggested Phillipson was the early frontrunner and may hit the 80 required nominations by the end of the day.[20] Phillipson's team claimed to have passed the 80 MP threshold by 16:00 (BST) on 10 September.[21]
Following changes to the Labour Party's constitution in 2021, candidates for the deputy leadership were required to receive nominations from 20% of the Parliamentary Labour Party (80 MPs as of September 2025) and either 5% (33) of Constituency Labour Parties or three organisations affiliated to the Labour Party, including at least two affiliated trade unions, to qualify for the ballot.[26][9]
After receiving the nominations of over 20% of the PLP (80 MPs), to reach the all members' ballot, both candidates require the support of either 5% of CLPs or 3 affiliated organisations that represent at least 5% of the affiliate membership (including 2 trade unions).[44][45]
Powell has been endorsed by the Tribune Group of MPs,[22] while the Red Wall Caucus supported a northern woman without making a specific endorsement for either of the two leading candidates.[49]
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