Lucy Powell

The Right Honourable

Lucy Powell

MP
The Right Honourable; Lucy Powell; MP
	Official portrait, 2026
Secretary of State for Education
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 20 July 2026
Prime Minister	Andy Burnham
Preceded by	Bridget Phillipson
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 25 October 2025
Leader	Keir Starmer; Andy Burnham
Preceded by	Angela Rayner
Leader of the House of Commons; Lord President of the Council
	In office; 5 July 2024 – 5 September 2025
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Penny Mordaunt
Succeeded by	Alan Campbell
Chair of the Commons Modernisation Committee
	In office; 9 September 2024 – 5 September 2025
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Alan Campbell
Leader
Shadow portfolios
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
	In office; 4 September 2023 – 5 July 2024
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Thangam Debbonaire
Succeeded by	Chris Philp
Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	In office; 29 November 2021 – 4 September 2023
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Jo Stevens
Succeeded by	Thangam Debbonaire
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing
	In office; 9 May 2021 – 29 November 2021
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Thangam Debbonair
Succeeded by	Lisa Nandy (Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Shadow Secretary of State for Education
	In office; 13 September 2015 – 27 June 2016
Leader	Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by	Tristram Hunt
Succeeded by	Pat Glass
Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers
	In office; 6 April 2020 – 9 May 2021
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Bill Esterson
Succeeded by	Seema Malhotra
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
	In office; 5 November 2014 – 14 September 2015
Leader	Ed Miliband
Preceded by	Michael Dugher
Succeeded by	Tom Watson
Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Years
	In office; 7 October 2013 – 5 November 2014
Leader	Ed Miliband
Preceded by	Sharon Hodgson
Succeeded by	Alison McGovern
Member of Parliament; for Manchester Central
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 15 November 2012
Preceded by	Tony Lloyd
Majority	13,797 (34.7%)
Personal details
Born	Lucy Maria Powell; 10 October 1974 (age 52); Moss Side, Manchester, England
Political party	Labour Co-op
Spouse(s)	James Williamson (m. 2009)
Children	2
Education	Parrs Wood High School; Xaverian College; King's College London (BSc)
Website	Official website

Lucy Maria Powell (born 10 October 1974) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician and Member of Parliament for Manchester Central in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She has been the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party since 2025.

She was first elected at the Manchester Central by-election in November 2012. In September 2015 she was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Education in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet, but resigned in June 2016.

In the aftermath of the Labour Party’s landslide victory in 2024 general election, Powell was appointed the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council by the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 5 July.

Powell put her name forward as a candidate for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party on 9 September 2025. She beat Bridget Phillipson on 25 October 2025, winning the election with 54.3% of the vote.

In 2026, Prime Minister Andy Burnham named Powell to be the Secretary of State for Education in his cabinet.

References

↑ "The Next Generation: Parliamentary Candidates to Watch" (PDF). Insight Public Affairs. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
↑ "Who's in Keir Starmer's new cabinet?". BBC News. 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
↑ Crerar, Pippa (9 September 2025). "Phillipson the frontrunner as six female Labour MPs enter deputy leader race". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
↑ "Lucy Powell elected Labour's deputy leader". BBC News. 25 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
↑ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2026" (Press release). Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
↑ Hatton, Ben; Mason, with Chris; Street, Nick Eardley reporting from Downing (2026-07-20). "Healey appointed chancellor and Miliband becomes foreign secretary as Andy Burnham picks cabinet". BBC News. Retrieved 2026-07-20.

This short article about a person or group of people can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.

[1] "The Next Generation: Parliamentary Candidates to Watch" (PDF). Insight Public Affairs. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2012.

[2] "Who's in Keir Starmer's new cabinet?". BBC News. 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.

[3] Crerar, Pippa (9 September 2025). "Phillipson the frontrunner as six female Labour MPs enter deputy leader race". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2025.

[4] "Lucy Powell elected Labour's deputy leader". BBC News. 25 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.

[5] "Ministerial Appointments: July 2026" (Press release). Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.

[6] Hatton, Ben; Mason, with Chris; Street, Nick Eardley reporting from Downing (2026-07-20). "Healey appointed chancellor and Miliband becomes foreign secretary as Andy Burnham picks cabinet". BBC News. Retrieved 2026-07-20.