Labour’s deputy leader has complained that Britain’s leadership is being decided by a contest between “three men” — and suggested it will fall to a woman to “clear up the mess” they leave behind, in remarks that have fuelled speculation about her own ambitions amid the party’s escalating leadership crisis.
Lucy Powell, the Manchester Central MP, vented her frustration to Politico that party attention had become consumed by “the moves of three men — or maybe it’s two men now” rather than substantive debate about “big ideas.” The comments come as Sir Keir Starmer fights to remain in Downing Street while Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting circle as potential successors.
Powell did not spare the leadership contenders’ image-conscious public appearances either, advising them to make their political moves with “a few less football kits and tight shorts” — a pointed reference to Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor and heavy favourite to succeed Starmer, who has been frequently photographed running in sports gear in recent weeks.
In her sharpest comment, Powell said: “For women in politics, a lot of what we do is clear up the mess that the men leave behind.” She praised the new female chief executive of ThinkLabour, Alison Phillips, for “doing a great job of that as well” — a reference to the think tank’s recent rebrand following a series of damaging controversies.
The remarks are striking given Powell’s status as a close ally of Burnham, and will inevitably fuel speculation about efforts to get a female Labour MP — potentially including Powell herself — onto the ballot in any forthcoming leadership contest. Powell secured a strong personal mandate last year, winning more than half the vote against Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson in Labour’s deputy leadership race. Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has also not ruled out standing, and has denied reports she struck a deal with Burnham to back his leadership bid in exchange for a senior Cabinet position.
Burnham is currently standing as Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, having been handed a route back to Parliament by the resignation of Josh Simons. If he wins, he is expected to mount a direct challenge to Starmer for the Labour leadership.
Simons’ departure from the Commons came weeks after he resigned as a minister amid scrutiny of his time running Labour Together — the think tank that helped get Starmer elected leader, and which is now known as ThinkLabour following its rebrand. The organisation reportedly paid PR firm APCO Worldwide £36,000 in 2023 to investigate the personal, political and religious “backgrounds and motivations” of journalists reporting on its undeclared donations, after stories emerged about its failure to declare more than £700,000 in funding. A Whitehall investigation cleared Simons of breaching the ministerial code, but he resigned from his post at the beginning of March regardless.
