Lucy Powell
| Lucy Powell link Everipedia Twitter Website (Politician) | |
|---|---|
| File:Lucy Powell.png | |
| Born | Lucy Maria Powell 10 October 1974 Manchester, Great Britain |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Oxford University/Somerville College, King's College London |
| Children | 2 |
| Spouse | James Williamson |
| Interests | Internet censorship |
| Party | Labour |
Backbench Labour MP elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party | |
Lucy Powell is a British politician whom incoming PM Andy Burnham appointed UK/Education Secretary on 20 July 2026.[1] She has been the Labour Member of Parliament for Manchester Central since 2012, and was in the Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn. She was appointed Leader of the House of Commons (2024-25) by PM Keir Starmer.[2]
Deputy Labour Leader
Having been sacked from the UK government in September 2025, backbencher Lucy Powell was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party the following month, in succession to Angela Rayner. Speaking after her victory, Powell said:
“It starts with us wrestling back the political megaphone and setting the agenda more strongly.
“Because let’s be honest, we’ve let Farage and his ilk run away with it. He wants to blame immigration for all the country’s problems.
“We reject that. Our diagnosis is different: that for too long, the country and the economy has worked in the interests of the few, not the many.”[3]
Shadow DCMS Secretary
Lucy Powell was Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary from November 2021 to September 2023.
"Vaccine misinformation"
In December 2021, Powell demanded government action against "deadly anti vaxxer conspiracy theories" and disinformation on social media, calling on social media platforms to take down accounts that spread "anti-vax misinformation".[4]
BBC policy
In March 2023, Powell announced a root and branch review of the BBC’s operations following the Gary Lineker controversy. The members of Labour's review panel are:
- Steve Morrison, former Granada TV director of programmes and chief executive
- James Purnell, former BBC director of strategy and culture secretary under Labour
- June Sarpong, the BBC’s first director of creative diversity
- Lou Cordwell, chair of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership[5]
References
- ↑ "Who's in Andy Burnham's cabinet?"
- ↑ https://www.nationalworld.com/news/politics/lucy-powell-leader-house-of-commons-sacked-still-an-mp-what-has-she-said-5305142
- ↑ "Complication for Keir Starmer as Lucy Powell wins Labour’s deputy leadership race"
- ↑ "Lucy Powell: Social media anti-vax misinformation ‘matter of life or death’"
- ↑ "Labour vows to ‘secure BBC’s independence’ after Lineker row"