Lucy Powell calls on Labour not to ‘write off’ May local elections

Labour should not “write off” next May’s elections as a likely moment for big losses but use the budget as a way to seize back voters’ attention, Lucy Powell has said as the battle to be the party’s deputy leadership entered its final period. With voting among party members under way, Bridget Phillipson, Powell’s rival for the post, said if she won she would set up a formal system to reflect the views of members and unions to the cabinet on a regular basis. Powell was sacked from the cabinet in last month’s reshuffle after the departure of Angela Rayner and has become the favourite to win on an outsider platform, promising to present tough truths to Keir Starmer and his team when necessary. Speaking after a series of events with members over the weekend, Powell said there was concern about the possible impact on the party of the elections for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and councils across England next May, with Labour predicted to see heavy losses, many to Reform UK. Powell, who was leader of the Commons until the reshuffle, said she was “not prepared to write off this hugely important set of elections” as inevitable midterm pushback, calling for a bold budget in response. “It’s not OK if we are losing good Labour councillors and councils through no fault of their own, because of the missteps we’ve taken nationally,” she said. “We need to reset the agenda so that more communities don’t wake up to Reform and other councils after election day next May.” The 26 November budget should be “a moment to draw a line under our past mistakes, and show the country whose side we are on”, Powell said, saying it should lift the two-child benefit cap and make sure the tax burden was shared more fairly. Speaking on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Phillipson, the education secretary, indicated she believed the cap would be lifted. “I am confident that we as a government will do the right thing by children growing up in poverty in our country,” she said. “We’ve already started that process. There’s more to do. I will make that happen.” Phillipson argued that as a cabinet minister she could make sure members’ concerns were heard directly at the top of government. In a subsequent pledge, her team said she would formally solicit views from members and trade unions every three months to present in this way. She said: “The Labour party draws its strength from its members. That’s why I want to give them a stronger voice in how the government delivers its agenda, with more avenues for our movement to tell us about their priorities. “Only under my deputy leadership will members have their voices heard loud and clear at the cabinet table.” Electronic voting among party members began last Wednesday and will run until 23 October, with the result announced two days later.