DEVELOPING: Labour Deputy Leadership Contest Heats Up as Top Contenders Emerge

BREAKING NEWS: Labour Deputy Leadership Contest Heats Up with Top Contenders Emerging Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and senior backbencher Dame Emily Thornberry are among six Labour MPs to have entered the contest to be party's next deputy leader. Housing Minister Alison McGovern, former minister Lucy Powell, and backbenchers Paula Barker and Bell Ribeiro-Addy also joined the race. The candidates must collect support from 80 MPs by 17:00 on Thursday, a tight timetable that has been criticized by some in Labour. This will determine which way the political wind is blowing in the party as it grapples with competition from both the left and right. The contest to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader will have significant implications for Labour's future direction. The candidates who clear the bar face a vote by party members, with the winner announced soon after. This is a developing story, with more details emerging as the deadline approaches. We will provide updates as the situation unfolds. *This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Based on reporting from Bbc.*