Powell and Phillipson vie for votes as Labour conference draws to a close

Labour’s deputy leadership hopefuls pledged to take the fight to Reform UK as well as the Greens and Liberal Democrats as they made their pitches to the party conference.

Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson displayed little disagreement during a hustings at the end of Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool on Wednesday.

Both admitted the Government had made “mistakes” in its first year in office and argued that Labour must put forward a positive vision instead of trying to “out Reform Reform”.

Continuing the theme of Sir Keir Starmer’s speech on Tuesday, the pair said they would take the fight to Nigel Farage’s party.

Former Commons leader Ms Powell, who was sacked by Sir Keir last month, said Labour needed to “seize the political megaphone” which it has “ceded too long” in recent months.

She added: “We’ve got to set the agenda about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, who we’re standing up for and I’m going to be working right across the country to make sure that we win in those elections next year.”

But both she and Ms Phillipson, the Education Secretary, noted the threat from the left of Labour in the form of both the Green Party and the Lib Dems.

While Ms Powell called for Labour to build a “progressive alliance”, Ms Phillipson said the party needed to be as “ruthless” in tackling the Greens as it was in fighting Reform.

Although Ms Phillipson gained more nominations from her fellow MPs than Ms Powell did, it is the former Commons leader who has emerged as the frontrunner among Labour members.

Ms Powell appeared more willing to criticise the leadership, warning against “a kind of increasing groupthink” that meant the party was “not hearing that feedback on the doorstep”.

And she promised to be “a strong independent voice” if elected, having “difficult conversations” with the leadership but refusing to “snipe from the sidelines”.

Ms Phillipson lent more on her record as Education Secretary, pointing to the expansion of free school meals, introducing VAT on private school fees and rolling out free breakfast clubs.

She said: “I’m seeking a mandate from you to do more. With a seat at the cabinet table, I will be your voice at the heart of government to get things done.”