Labour members feel disconnected from government, says Lucy Powell

<p>Deputy leadership candidate tells hustings party is not heeding feedback from doorstep, with impact on activists</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/oct/01/keir-starmer-labour-conference-nigel-farage-reform-uk-politics-latest-news-updates">UK politics live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Labour members feel “disconnected” from the government and risk losing motivation, Lucy Powell has argued as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/14/phillipson-and-powell-kick-off-labour-deputy-race-with-very-different-visions-for-role">she and her rival</a> for the party’s deputy leadership, Bridget Phillipson, answered questions at its annual conference.</p><p>Powell, who was sacked from the cabinet in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/05/yvette-cooper-david-lammy-reshuffle-no-10-sources">a reshuffle last month</a>, has presented herself as an independent “shop steward” for members, a balance to what she has called a sometimes isolated leadership.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/oct/01/uk-labour-party-members-lucy-powell-deputy-leadership-hustings">Continue reading...</a>