Bridget Phillipson has stormed the first round of Labour’s deputy leadership election , having scooped up the lion’s share of pledges from her fellow MPs.

The Education Secretary has, either by design or by accident, become the de facto Downing Street candidate in the race to succeed Angela Rayner , and the strength of her support reflects that of the Labour intake that entered power in 2024.

But MPs believe that her seamless ride onto the final ballot may not necessarily be translated into overall victory once the election goes to the wider membership. New Feature

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Allies insist that Phillipson commands strong support among members, with a recent poll for grassroots site Left Foot Forward showing her favourability rating was well a

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