Who could replace Angela Rayner as Labour deputy leader?

The starting gun has been fired in the race to replace Angela Rayner as deputy Labour leader.

Rayner resigned from the role – as well as her government jobs of housing secretary and deputy prime minister – after failing to pay enough tax when buying a flat.

Candidates now have until Thursday evening to win the backing of at least 80 Labour MPs, and will then need support from either 5% of local parties or three Labour-affiliated groups, including two unions.

The winner will then be decided in a vote of party members, with an announcement due on 25 October.

Phillipson is the only cabinet minister on the list, pledging to unite the party and take on Reform UK. As education secretary, she would be more supportive of the government than other candidates.

The Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South since 2010, Phillipson has highlighted her background and her journey from growing up in a council house, to taking on the highest ministerial ranks of government.

Describing herself as a “proud working-class woman from the north east”, Phillipson said that with her help Labour could defeat Nigel Farage’s party while “staying true” to its values of equality, fairness and social justice.

“With me as deputy leader we will beat them right across the country and unite to deliver the opportunity that working people across this great country deserve,” Phillipson said.

Other cabinet ministers had been reluctant to stand, fearing the possibility of defeat by a backbencher or somebody more junior.

She is almost certain to attract the support of the 80 MPs required by Thursday.

South London MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy was the first candidate to declare she would stand.

A committed left-winger, Ribeiro-Addy is a close ally of veteran MP Diane Abbott and is being backed by the Socialist Campaign Group, a left-leaning caucus of the party.

Ribeiro-Addy describes herself as a socialist, feminist, anti-racist and trade unionist in her X bio.

It is unlikely she will get anywhere near enough supporters, but she is using her moment in the spotlight to urge the government to change course.

She told the BBC Labour’s deputy leader should be free to criticise government policy.

Ribeiro-Addy said Labour needed a debate about “what’s gone wrong” in its first year in power and warned the party would not be able to “attract or even to retain” voters without a change in direction.

Backed by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Lucy Powell has been the MP for Manchester Central since 2012.

Announcing she was standing as a candidate, Powell said she would aim to bring together “all parts of the party” and unite “our broad voter coalition”.

She added that in her time in government she had “championed our backbenchers, made sure their voices were heard, and sought to unite our team”.

Until recently she was leader of the House of Commons, responsible for organising government business in the chamber, as well as modernising Parliament and improving working conditions for MPs and staff.

However, she was sacked from that role in the recent reshuffle.

Housing Minister Alison McGovern was a candidate but pulled out, saying it was clear she did not have the required support from MPs to run. She has given her backing to Phillipson.

Foreign affairs committee chair Emily Thornberry and Liverpool Wavertree MP Paula Barker both withdrew from the race on Thursday.

Shabana Mahmood, who was promoted from justice secretary to home secretary in last week’s reshuffle, has ruled herself out of the race, as has her cabinet colleague, Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

Former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan, who works as an NHS doctor, have also said they are not putting themselves forward.

Backbench MP Barry Gardiner, a former member of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet who had been floated by some on the left of the party as a potential candidate, has said he will not stand.

David Lammy will remain Sir Keir’s deputy prime minister, regardless of who wins.