First cabinet minister enters race to become deputy Labour leader – UK politics live

Bridget Phillipson describes herself as ‘a proud working-class woman’ in statement announcing her bid to replace Angela Rayner

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has welcomed Bridget Phillipson’s decison to stand for Labour deputy leader – but without confirming that he will actually vote for her.

In an interview on the Today programme, asked if he would be voting for Phillipson, Streeting replied:

I haven’t decided yet. I’m delighted Bridget Phillipson has thrown her hat into the ring. She is a brilliant education secretary. We come from very similar working class backgrounds, Bridget in the north-east of England, me in east London, and she has made a big contribution to the Labour party’s success getting elected into government, and she is part of the team that is now delivering change.

There are other candidates who I think also have that kind of background, that kind of campaigning record.

Campaigner in chief is the job of the deputy leader, to ensure the electoral success of the Labour party at the ballot box, in order that we get permission to change communities, locally or the country in the case of general elections, or the Scottish and Welsh elections that are coming up.

That does mean helping Labour’s appeal. It does mean making sure that we are holding our coalition of voters together, and that is the fundamental job.

Today I am putting myself forward as a candidate for the deputy leadership of the Labour party, to unite our great party and deliver for working people.

I am a proud working-class woman from the north-east. I have come from a single parent family on a tough council street, all the way to the cabinet, determined to deliver better life chances for young people growing up in our country.