Phillipson says she's been subjected to sexist briefings as Labour deputy leadership race tightens

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says she has been the target of sexist briefings as she sought to distance herself from what she described as a “boys club” around Sir Keir Starmer’s Downing Street, as Labour faces a deputy leadership contest. Phillipson is standing for Labour’s deputy leadership and is seen by some as the prime minister’s candidate in a head-to-head race against sacked minister Lucy Powell, who was removed as Commons Leader this month and has cast herself as the “independent choice” in her challenge to Phillipson, who remains a cabinet minister.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live this afternoon, Phillipson tried to dispel the idea that she is Downing Street’s preferred successor to Angela Rayner as deputy leader. She pointed to negative headlines she has faced since becoming Education Secretary, including talk that the Prime Minister could sack her. Earlier this year, before she was forced to resign as Deputy PM and Labour deputy leader, Rayner herself criticized No. 10 briefings against female ministers, a echo of past complaints within the party about how ministers are portrayed by the governing circle.

“Yeah completely, but you know that’s life,” Phillipson said when asked if she had been the victim of sexist briefings. “But I do slightly have to laugh because there’s this idea swirling around somehow that I’m No. 10’s preferred candidate for all of this. I’m not quite sure that’s what you and many colleagues in the media have been saying in recent months with all of this negativity and nonsense that I’ve faced. So there’s a certain irony I would say in some of the way that this is being approached.”

Asked whether there was something wrong with the culture of the team around Sir Keir after previous claims of a “boys club” in Downing Street, Phillipson argued Labour needed to “get better at working together.” She said the party had welcomed many new MPs elected last year who had not felt part of the team and that Labour must unite the party and its broader movement to be in the strongest possible position for upcoming elections. “We’ve got to get better at working together as a team in Parliament but also uniting our party and our movement, and that’s what I would bring in terms of my ability to unite the party,” she said. “And to allow us to get into it the strongest possible position for the really vital elections we’ve got coming up next May.”

Phillipson was asked if Sir Keir and his Downing Street team had neglected Labour MPs, who staged a major rebellion in July over planned welfare reforms. She replied that the Prime Minister’s job is “incredibly tough” and that there is “a lot going on internationally” that must be led on behalf of the country. Still, she added, there was a broader need for Labour to press for stronger cooperation with colleagues to improve its position ahead of the next electoral test.

The deputy leadership contest pits Phillipson against Powell, who was removed as Commons Leader earlier this month and has framed herself as the principled, independent alternative within Labour. Powell’s camp argues she would bring a different, more autonomous approach to leadership within the party, while Phillipson emphasizes unity, continuity, and experience within the Cabinet. The race comes as Labour seeks to balance its internal critiques of the party’s culture with a strategic push to present a cohesive front to voters.

The public exchange unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing debate within Labour about how best to handle inward criticism and public messaging surrounding senior figures. Phillipson’s comments echo a broader discussion within the party about how to address concerns raised by former female ministers about the way information is handled and how attention is allocated within the leadership circle. Observers note that the competition has underscored tensions between a desire for change and a perceived need for stability as Labour prepares for a forthcoming electoral cycle.

Analysts say the stakes extend beyond personalities to the question of how Labour can present a united front that can translate internal debates into a credible national platform. Phillipson’s emphasis on teamwork and integration across Parliament and the party aligns with a broader aim to demonstrate competence and readiness to govern. Powell, meanwhile, has pressed a narrative that stresses independence and a willingness to challenge the status quo within the party leadership.

The contest is also a reminder of the broader political environment in which issues of gender, leadership, and culture continue to influence public perception of parties in the United Kingdom. While the discussion centers on Labour, commentators have drawn parallels to discussions in other democracies about how political institutions address concerns about inclusivity, fair access to advancement, and the conduct of senior officials in close proximity to power.

As Labour concentrates on shoring up support among its base and persuading swing voters, the deputy leadership race will be watched for signs of how far party leadership is willing to go in confronting internal culture questions and whether the rival camps will converge around a single message ahead of next year’s elections. Phillipson’s insistence on unity and preparation for a challenging political environment reflects a central thread in the party’s current strategy: project strength, continuity, and inclusivity as it seeks to balance change with results.

|Image below shows a moment from Phillipson’s remarks; it appears near the midpoint of the piece to illustrate the interview and its reception.|