Fabian Society: ‘Let’s all do what we can to ensure the process is constructive and comradely’

Many of us will have been deeply saddened to see the resignation of Angela Rayner last week.

As Deputy Leader, Rayner played a central role in the long and hard road back from a devastating defeat in 2019 to a historic general election victory last year. In government she led Labour’s efforts to strengthen rights at work, to tackle insecurity in the private rented sector, and to build the homes we desperately need. These were both some of the most important and some of the most popular parts of the government’s agenda. They must be taken forward following her departure.

As a working class woman who achieved high office, Rayner was an inspiration to many in our movement. And no matter how high she rose, she never forgot where she was from or who she was fighting for.

Angela Rayner will be a hard act to follow as deputy leader. But her departure means that we now face an election for her successor. So what might we as members be looking for in a new Deputy Leader?

First, we need a Deputy Leader who can work constructively with the Prime Minister. The last two Deputy Leaders were elected following crushing defeat at general elections, with the contest being part of a painful re-building process. This time is very different. We are not electing a new team to take us in a different direction, but a Deputy Leader who will need to work closely with a Labour Prime Minister. The only person who would benefit from friction and division between our Keir Starmer and the new Deputy is Nigel Farage. Rather than being a counterpoint to the Prime Minister, the new Deputy Leader will need to work collaboratively with him and the Cabinet, as part of a cohesive Labour team.

Second, we need a Deputy Leader with deep roots in the Labour Party. The Prime Minister is accountable to the electorate as a whole, and he has made clear that his focus is country first, party second. The Deputy Leader plays a different and complementary role; being the voice of our party in government, and keeping us in touch with both our members and the wider movement. So we need a Leader with an instinctive understanding of our Party, and with broad reach across the wider labour movement.

Third, we need a strong communicator who can take on Reform. In the last few months, we have potentially seen something that has not happened in a century since the plucky upstarts in the Labour Party eclipsed the Liberals; the replacement of one of our two major parties with an insurgent new force. With the Conservatives collapsing, and with Reform riding high in the polls, it is increasingly clear we will face new opponents at the next election. Reform do not have a record to defend, and they can promise the world to an electorate who have grown mistrustful. We should look for a Deputy Leader who can connect with the electorate, who can deliver our message in a way which resonates, and who can take the fight to Farage.

Finally, many members will be looking for a Deputy Leader who can complement the current top team. With both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister being male, we might want to look for a female Deputy Leader, to add diversity and balance. With both being from London, we may want an MP from outside the capital to broaden our reach. The strongest leadership teams in Labour’s recent history have also represented different parts of our historic coalition. While Blair and Starmer were more from the Fabian tradition, Prescott and Rayner were rooted in the union movement.

We have already seen some in the right wing press salivating at the thought of a ‘divisive’ Deputy Leadership race with the potential to ‘tear Starmer’s Party apart’. There is no need for this to be the case and we should not give them the satisfaction.

There is nothing to fear from debate and discussion within the Labour Party and the wider movement. Indeed it is one of our great strengths. This process can be a positive and energising opportunity to discuss where we go from here, and how we can ensure our second year is more successful than our first. An opportunity to debate how we can deliver for the country and how we secure a second term.

At the Fabian Society, we will be seeking to play our part, by providing a platform for candidates to share their ideas about the future of our party and our movement. I am looking forward to seeing talented candidates offering different approaches and ideas coming forward. Let’s all do what we can to ensure the process is constructive and comradely.

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