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The Labour Party is poised to declare its new deputy leader this Saturday, with polls indicating Lucy Powell in front of the education secretary as voting ended on the previous Thursday.

The Day's Political Agenda

Presented is the politics schedule for today, according to the news schedule:

• 10am: The party's deputy chief will be announced in central London. Addresses are expected following the announcement from the winner and the prime minister.
• 1pm: Demonstrators from opposing groups are likely to gather in different sides of London after police banned Ukip activists from assembling in an East London area due to concerns of public unrest.
• Today: Counting starts to reveal the new head of state of the Irish Republic.

Meanwhile, the Epping Forest MP Neil Hudson is conducting the morning media rounds for the Tory party.

Campaign Highlights and Candidate Stances

Throughout the campaign, Powell often referred to errors made by the Labour Party on issues such as the winter fuel allowance. In a closing statement to supporters, she seemed to question a command and control culture within the administration, stating that unquestioning compliance was a failure of responsibility.

If Powell does emerge victorious, the outcome is likely to be seen as a criticism to Keir Starmer's governance from party members.

The prime minister has recently endured a difficult period, marked by a dispute over the grooming gangs inquiry and a defeat in the Senedd byelection in the Caerphilly seat.

The party's difficulties in the opinion polls have sparked questions among MPs about Starmer’s leadership.

Lucy Powell has stressed that she wants to help Keir and our government to prosper but also told supporters the Labour needs to adapt how it operates to improve the situation.

Meanwhile, Bridget Phillipson, regarded as the prime minister's preferred candidate, has stressed cohesion, warning that voting for her rival would result in party disputes and divisions that could lead the party back to opposition.

Additional News Highlights

• Cutting the cash Isa limit may not persuade savers to invest in stocks but could increase home loan rates, lawmakers have warned the chancellor.
• A heavy defeat for Labour in next May’s council elections could spell the end of Starmer's leadership, parliamentarians have said, after the party suffered a significant loss in its Welsh heartland.
• The former prime minister was the only politician sent a witness statement by the deputy national security adviser implicated in a controversy over the collapse of a legal case against two British men accused of espionage for China.

The result of the deputy leader contest is expected to be announced at 10am BST.