The Deputy Leader candidates on PR
Update: during the Deputy Leadership contest, we have asked the two candidates to confirm or update their positions on electoral reform.
Lucy Powell has confirmed her support for Proportional Representation. We have not had any response from Bridget Phillipson.
The latest information we have at the time for writing is set out below.
Bridget Phillipson
The MP for Houghton and Sunderland South has not supported electoral reform in the past and has not updated her position during the Deputy Leadership contest.
In correspondence with a constituent in 2022, via our friends at Make Votes Matter, she wrote:
"I do not support ending the use of First Past the Post to elect MPs"
In the aftermath of the May 2025 local elections, polling guru Sir John Curtice put the evident flaws of First Past the Post to Bridget Phillipson during a discussion on the BBC, noting Labour's 2022 conference vote in favour of Proportional Representation.
You can watch the exchange below...
🌹 Labour's official policy recognises that First Past the Post is "flawed" and driving "distrust & alienation" in politics ⚠️ Now, multi-party politics is colliding with a 2-party system - and inaction is becoming untenable 🎯 We need a National Commission for Electoral Reform
— Labour4PR 🌹🗳️ (@labour4pr.bsky.social) 2 May 2025 at 11:45
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Lucy Powell
The MP for Manchester Central has supported electoral reform in the past - and confirmed this support during the Deputy Leadership contest.
In summer 2023, she wrote to a constituent:
"I have personally always supported a more proportional voting system which retains the constituency link"
While Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, in October 2023, she commented at a Labour Conference fringe event that she is personally in favour of looking at electoral reform once in Government.
*Lucy Powell* To a constituent in 2023: 💬 "I have personally always supported a more proportional voting system which retains the constituency link" While a Minister, she said she's personally in favour of looking at electoral reform in Government 3/3
— Labour4PR 🌹🗳️ (@labour4pr.bsky.social) 11 September 2025 at 19:02
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When asked about Proportional Representation during a Q&A session at the 2025 Labour Party Conference, Lucy Powell said:
"It comes up all the time and I know its very important to party members. Personally I have always supported electoral reform."
