Six female Labour MPs have thrown their hats into the ring in the race to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson appeared to be an early frontrunner as she vowed there would be "no watering down" of workers' rights reforms. Unions had expressed concern the changes championed by Ms Rayner could be diluted. In a well-timed appearance at the Trades Unions Congress conference - just hours after she declared she would run for deputy leader - Ms Phillipson said