Lucy Powell’s victory in the Labour deputy leadership election puts her in a position to take over from Sir Keir Starmer, MPs believe – or could open the door to her allies Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham.

Powell had long been viewed as a loyal lieutenant to Starmer, but that relationship ruptured when she was dismissed from the Cabinet in September’s reshuffle following the sacking of Angela Rayner.

Some Government insiders have claimed that she did not have a sufficient grip on her job as Leader of the House of Commons, putting legislation through Parliament, and she is also said to have been suspected of leaking to the media – claims that she denies. New Feature

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But by firing her, Starmer made Powell a champion for those MPs who wa

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