Labour’s new deputy leader to be announced – UK politics live

8.50am BST In case you missed it, in this previously published piece from the Guardian Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell answered reader questions on wealth taxes, Brexit, the climate crisis and the far right: Related: Why should you be Labour’s next deputy leader? Guardian readers quiz the candidates Updated at 8.51am BST 8.46am BST Today's agenda Here is today’s politics agenda, according to the PA news agency’s schedule: 10am: Labour’s new deputy leader will be announced in central London. Speeches are expected afterwards from the winner of the contest and from the prime minister. 1pm: Protesters from opposing groups are expected to descend on different sides of London after police banned Ukip supporters from gathering in Whitechapel, an area of the capital with a large Muslim population, because of what officers called a “realistic prospect of serious disorder”. Ukip supporters are expected to gather in west London at 1pm. Saturday: Counting is to begin today to reveal who the Irish public have voted to be their next president. Epping Forest MP Neil Hudson is on the morning media rounds for the Conservatives. 8.37am BST Labour's new deputy leader to be announced today, as polling puts Powell ahead of Phillipson Labour’s new deputy leader will be announced today, with polling suggesting Lucy Powell enjoyed a healthy lead over education secretary Bridget Phillipson as voting closed on Thursday, reports the PA news agency. During the campaign, Powell frequently referred to “mistakes” made by the party on issues such as the winter fuel allowance. And in a final message to supporters this week the Manchester Central MP appeared to criticise a “command and control” culture within government, arguing that “blindly following along” was “a dereliction of our duty to defeat the politics of hate and division”. Lucy Powell (L) and Bridget Phillipson (R). Composite: UK Parliament/The Guardian If Powell does emerge victorious, the result is likely to be seen as a rebuke to Keir Starmer’s leadership from Labour members, more than half of whom now believe the party is heading in the wrong direction, reports the PA news agency. The prime minister has already endured a difficult week, dominated by a row over the grooming gangs inquiry and capped with defeat in a Senedd byelection in Caerphilly, a seat held by Labour for a century. Labour’s struggles in the polls have already led to some questions among backbenchers about Starmer’s leadership of the party. Powell has stressed that she wants to “help Keir and our government to succeed” but also told supporters the party “must change how we are doing things to turn things around”. Meanwhile, Phillipson, seen as Number 10’s preferred candidate for the deputy leadership, has stressed unity, warning that voting for her opponent would result in “internal debate and divisions that leads us back to opposition”. The result of the deputy leadership election is expected to be announced on Saturday at 10am BST. I’ll bring you updates on the results and reaction as they come in. Here are some other headlines from UK politics: Cutting the annual cash Isa allowance will not encourage many savers to switch to shares but could push up mortgage costs, MPs have warned the chancellor. Earlier this year, Rachel Reeves paused plans to limit the cash Isa allowance but in the run-up to next month’s budget there has been renewed speculation that it could be reduced to £10,000 in an attempt to promote growth. A wipeout for Labour in next May’s local elections would spell the end of Keir Starmer’s premiership, MPs have said, after the party suffered a crushing defeat in its traditional heartland in Wales. Though Plaid Cymru beat Reform UK to capture the Senedd seat in Caerphilly, the result highlighted a striking collapse of Labour’s vote, prompting fears in Westminster that Labour could be reduced to third place in Wales, a loss that would leave the leader’s position unrecoverable. Rishi Sunak was the only politician to be sent a witness statement by the deputy national security adviser at the centre of a controversy about the collapse of a case against two British men accused of spying for China. According to letters sent to the joint committee on the national security strategy, the statement from Matthew Collins in December 2023, which was sent to the then prime minister and his advisers, did not describe China as an enemy, another key element of the case.