Emily Thornberry Withdraws From Labour Deputy Leadership Race
2 min read
Emily Thornberry has pulled out of the contest to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Posting on X on Thursday morning, Thornberry said: "I'm deeply grateful to all the Labour members who have shared their support. But I have decided to withdraw.
"It has been a privilege to take part in this race with such brilliant women. I will always be committed to this party and do everything I can to make it successful."
The north London MP had the fewest votes of the five candidates to replace Rayner as of Wednesday night, with 13 Labour MPs having nominated her.
Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, also withdrew from the deputy leadership race on Thursday. In a statement on social media platform Bluesky, she confirmed she would be backing Lucy Powell in the race to succeed Rayner.
The pair withdrawing – after minister Alison McGovern pulled out on Wednesday –leaves three candidates still in the race: Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, former Commons leader Powell and Labour left backbencher Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
Candidates must secure 80 nominations from Labour MPs by Thursday at 5pm to continue in the election.
The latest official numbers showed Phillipson had secured 116 nominations, meaning she can progress to the next stage. Powell had secured 77, suggesting she is very likely to also progress.
Ribeiro-Addy, who had told PoliticsHome on Tuesday she did not expect to make it to the next stage, was on 15 nominations.
Thornberry was one of the more experienced candidates, having held several shadow ministerial positions and currently serving as chair of the foreign affairs committee.
However, many Labour MPs, including the Red Wall Group, have argued that the new Labour deputy leader must be a woman from the north of England.
To secure a place on the ballot paper, those who get the required MP nominations will also need to be nominated in the second stage of the contest by either five per cent of local parties or three affiliates, including two trade unions.
