Labour faces civil war

Deputy leader race 'burning down' party

- By Martyn Brown Political Editor

LABOUR'S brewing “civil war” is threatening to tear the party apart as the fight to replace Angela Rayner intensifies, the Tories have warned.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell have both now joined the battle to become the party’s new deputy leader.

The race is shaping up to be a referendum on the Prime Minister’s leadership, with clear fault lines already emerging over immigration and welfare.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer gathered his new-look cabinet in Downing Street yesterday, after he was forced to reshuffle his team in the wake of Ms Rayner’s bombshell resignation.