Lucy Powell tells Labour it can’t sugarcoat how badly things are going

Frontrunner for deputy leadership addresses rally day before voting opens in contest with Bridget Phillipson

The Labour deputy leadership contender Lucy Powell has told party members that she will not “sugarcoat” how badly the party is doing, promising to challenge Downing Street’s “groupthink” as voting begins.

Ballots open on Wednesday for members and affiliates in the race between Powell and the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, with polls for LabourList suggesting Powell is the clear frontrunner.