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The Labour Party is set to announce its new deputy leader this Saturday, with polling data indicating the Manchester Central MP in front of the education secretary as balloting closed on Thursday.

The Day's Political Agenda

Below is the politics schedule for today, according to the news schedule:

• 10:00 AM: Labour’s new deputy leader will be announced in central London. Speeches are expected following the announcement from the victor and the PM.
• 1pm: Protesters from opposing groups are likely to gather in separate areas of the capital after police banned Ukip activists from gathering in an East London area due to concerns of public unrest.
• Saturday: Counting starts to reveal the next president of Ireland.

Additionally, the Epping Forest MP Conservative MP Neil Hudson is on the morning media rounds for the Conservatives.

Campaign Highlights and Contender Stances

Throughout the election race, Lucy Powell frequently mentioned mistakes made by the party on issues such as the winter heating payments. In a final message to supporters, she appeared to criticise a command and control culture within government, stating that unquestioning compliance was a failure of responsibility.

Should Powell wins, the outcome is likely to be seen as a rebuke to Keir Starmer's governance from party members.

The prime minister has recently faced a challenging period, dominated by a row over the grooming gangs inquiry and a loss in the Senedd byelection in Caerphilly.

The party's difficulties in the polls have sparked doubts among backbenchers about Starmer’s leadership.

Powell has stressed that she aims to help Keir and our government to succeed but also informed followers the Labour needs to adapt how it operates to turn things around.

Meanwhile, Phillipson, seen as Number 10's preferred candidate, has stressed cohesion, warning that choosing her opponent would result in party disputes and divisions that could return the party back to opposition.

Additional Political Headlines

• Reducing the cash Isa limit may not persuade savers to switch to shares but could push up mortgage costs, lawmakers have cautioned the chancellor.
• A heavy defeat for Labour in next May’s council elections could spell the end of Starmer's leadership, MPs have said, after the Labour suffered a crushing defeat in its Welsh heartland.
• Rishi Sunak was the sole MP sent a witness statement by the deputy national security adviser implicated in a dispute over the collapse of a case against two UK nationals accused of spying for China.

The outcome of the deputy leader contest is expected to be announced at 10:00 AM British Summer Time.