Chris Webb, Labour MP for Blackpool South, says the new deputy leader of Labour must be someone from the North, who ‘understands the rhythms of life outside Westminster’
The Labour Party has always been at its best when it speaks with one voice – the voice of working people. From the mills and mines of the North to the docks and railways of the South, we were born from the trade union movement, forged in solidarity and driven by a determination to give ordinary families a fairer deal.
Angela Rayner stepping down as Deputy Leader leaves Labour at a crossroads. She’s been a fighter for our party’s values and for working people. She showed the grit and honesty our movement relies on.
Her departure gives us a moment for reflection – to think hard about who we are and who we stand for. That will be at the forefront of my mind on Wednesday as hustings take place before MPs cast their vote for a new Deputy Leader.
With both the Prime Minister and the new Deputy Prime Minister both now coming from London, it is vital that Labour continues to represent every corner of Britain. For me, the new Deputy Leader must be a Northerner.
To rebuild trust in communities that have been left behind for too long, we need a Deputy Leader who understands the rhythms of life outside Westminster – who knows what it means when the bus route is cut, when the high street closes and when wages don’t keep up with bills.
READ MORE: ‘Poverty was a daily reality growing up in Blackpool – but my demands aren’t radical’
That perspective isn’t abstract to me. I was born and bred in Blackpool – a town I’m now proud to represent. The son of a postman, I know what it feels like when hard graft doesn’t guarantee security – when people work all hours and still struggle to make ends meet. That experience is what Labour has always understood. It’s what connects millions of people to our movement and it’s why Labour must keep working-class voices at the heart of our leadership.
This deputy leadership election is about more than personalities. It’s about direction. Do we continue to anchor ourselves in our trade union roots – as the party of workers, renters, carers and pensioners – or do we risk drifting away from them?
Do we truly speak for the nurse finishing another 12-hour shift, the shop worker worried about rent and the soldier demanding proper protections – or do we lose sight of them in the noise of Westminster?
Labour stalwart Barbara Castle said, “We are not just fighting for higher wages or shorter hours. We are fighting for a different way of life”. That’s the scale of ambition our movement must embrace again – to transform lives, not just manage them.
The Labour Party I believe in is the party of solidarity that knows the value of collective struggle and understands that we are strongest when we’re united. Now is not the time for factional battles. It’s the time to pull together, to remember that our shared mission is to deliver for the people who put their trust in us.
Our way forward must be rooted in our traditions but looking to the future. That means strengthening our bonds with the trade unions and ensuring working-class voices are at the heart of our leadership.
And it means making sure that the next generation of Labour leadership reflects the whole country – not just Westminster postcodes.
Harold Wilson got it right when he said the Labour Party “is a moral force or nothing at all”. His words remind us that politics isn’t about power but about principle – and standing up for people and places like Blackpool that are too often forgotten.
Angela Rayner has been a formidable force for Labour values and she leaves big shoes to fill. By facing this moment with unity and rooted in our principles we can step forward together – stronger, prouder and ready to deliver the change our country so urgently needs.
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