Bridget Phillipson calls for party unity as she launches deputy leadership bid

And they're off! Bridget Phillipson was archetypal distant successful her two-horse contention with Lucy Powell successful the Labour lawman enactment stakes.

Facing a rival who was sacked from the authorities 9 days earlier, the acquisition caput said the lawman person should beryllium a furniture minister, arsenic Angela Rayner was.

Launching her run astatine The Fire Station, a trendy euphony and amusement venue successful Sunderland, she besides vowed to crook up the vigor connected Nigel Farage and Reform UK.

She besides repeatedly called for enactment unity, astatine a clip erstwhile Labour MPs are increasing progressively mutinous implicit Sir Keir Starmer's dealings with sacked Washington ambassador Lord Mandelson.

Despite Ms Phillipson winning 175 nominations from Labour MPs to Ms Powell's 117, bookmakers StarSports this play made Ms Powell 4/6 favourite with Ms Phillipson astatine 5/4.

But though the caller lawman person volition not beryllium lawman premier minister, a rubric that's gone to David Lammy, Ms Phillipson praised the mode Ms Rayner combined the 2 roles and rejected suggestions that arsenic a furniture curate she would beryllium a part-time lawman leader.

"What tin beryllium achieved nether a lawman person with a spot astatine cabinet, conscionable look astatine Angela Rayner," Ms Phillipson told her enthusiastic supporters.

"Angela knew the value of the relation she had. There was thing part-time astir her lawman leadership.

"Last twelvemonth I campaigned up and down the state to get Labour candidates elected - I've not stopped arsenic acquisition caput - and I won't halt arsenic lawman leader.

"Because with section elections, and with elections successful Wales and Scotland close astir the corner, that relation is going to beryllium much important than ever.

"So that's why, today, I pledge to proceed Angela Rayner's campaigning relation arsenic lawman leader.

"Continuing her ngo to springiness members a beardown dependable astatine the furniture table.

"Her ruthless absorption connected getting our candidates elected and re-elected, alongside her full determination to thrust alteration from government. Because what mattered was not conscionable what she believed, but that she could enactment connected it."

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Ms Phillipson pledged to tally a run of "hope, not grievance" and claimed the enactment descending into part would enactment the chances of children and families benefiting from Labour policies astatine risk.

But admitting Sir Keir Starmer's authorities had made mistakes, she appealed to enactment members: "You tin usage this contention to look backward, to walk judgement connected what has happened successful the past year, oregon you tin usage it to signifier positively what happens successful the run-up to the adjacent election.

"Back maine truthful I tin unite our party, present the alteration we privation to spot and bushed Reform. Back maine truthful together, we tin present that 2nd word of Labour government."

Starmer's campaigner vs Manchester mayor's

As she did successful a code astatine the TUC league past week, Ms Phillipson spoke astir her upbringing "from a pugnacious thoroughfare of assembly houses successful the North East each the mode to the cabinet".

At the TUC, she said she grew up - "just maine and my mam" - and told however erstwhile she was nine, a antheral who'd burgled the location turned up astatine the beforehand doorway with a shot bat and threatened her mother.

Ms Powell, who enjoys the almighty backing of Labour's 'King of the North' Andy Burnham, called this play for a alteration successful civilization successful 10 Downing Street, with amended decisions and less unforced errors.

His backing has led to the lawman contention being seen arsenic a conflict betwixt Sir Keir's candidate, Ms Phillipson, and that of the Greater Manchester mayor, seen progressively arsenic a enactment rival to the premier minister.

And similar each the champion equine races, with the betting presently truthful tight, erstwhile the effect is declared connected 25 October the effect could beryllium a photo-finish.