In a post on X, Phillipson stated: “The choice is clear. Labour’s heart and soul in government with me as Deputy Leader. Or more distractions, infighting and noise. Now is the time to unite, put our values into action and take the fight to Reform.”
At the POLITICO pub during the Labour conference, Phillipson addressed Powell’s comments and reinforced her stance, noting the “certain irony” in Powell’s call for debate, yet finding her debate problematic.
She emphasized that she would “bring members’ voices to the cabinet table” instead of “throwing stones from the outside,” and added: “I’ll be there when the decisions are made, able to get things done.”
“The difference is, I’ll actually be able to influence those decisions at the cabinet table.”
Phillipson also said Powell’s claim that she could be a more effective deputy leader outside of government was “a bit insulting” to former deputy leaders Angela Rayner and John Prescott, who passed away last year.
“We had Angela Rayner doing a brilliant job as deputy leader, a campaigning deputy leader, but she was running a big government department,” noted Phillipson. “What made Angela so effective was the combination of those two.
“That would apply to John Prescott, Harriet Harman — the kind of suggestion that somehow those people were basically part-timers, that appears to be the implication, I think is a bit insulting to what they’ve achieved.”
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