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The Labour Party is poised to announce its fresh deputy chief today, with surveys indicating the Manchester Central MP leading Bridget Phillipson as balloting ended on the previous Thursday.

Today's Schedule of Events

Below is the politics schedule for today, based on the PA news agency:

• 10am: The party's deputy chief is set to be revealed in London. Speeches are anticipated afterwards from the winner and the prime minister.
• 1pm: Protesters from opposing groups are expected to descend on different sides of London after authorities prohibited Ukip supporters from gathering in an East London area due to concerns of serious disorder.
• Saturday: Counting starts to reveal the next president of the Irish Republic.

Additionally, Epping Forest MP Neil Hudson is on the media interviews for the Conservatives.

Campaign Highlights and Contender Positions

Throughout the election race, Lucy Powell often mentioned errors made by the Labour Party on issues such as the winter heating payments. In a final message to backers, she appeared to criticise a command and control culture within the administration, arguing that blindly following along was a failure of responsibility.

If Powell does emerge victorious, the outcome is likely to be seen as a criticism to the prime minister's leadership from party members.

The prime minister has recently faced a challenging period, dominated by a dispute over the grooming gangs investigation and a defeat in the Welsh assembly by-election in the Caerphilly seat.

Labour’s struggles in the polls have sparked doubts among MPs about Starmer’s leadership.

Powell has stressed that she wants to support the PM and administration to prosper but also told supporters the party must change how it operates to improve the situation.

Meanwhile, Phillipson, seen as the prime minister's preferred candidate, has stressed cohesion, cautioning that choosing her opponent would result in internal debate and splits that could return the party back to being in opposition.

Additional News Highlights

• Reducing the cash Isa limit may not encourage savers to invest in stocks but could push up mortgage costs, MPs have warned the finance minister.
• A heavy defeat for Labour in next May’s council elections could spell the end of Starmer's leadership, MPs have said, after the party experienced a significant loss in Wales.
• The former prime minister was the only politician provided a testimonial by the security official implicated in a dispute over the collapse of a legal case against two UK nationals accused of espionage for China.

The result of the deputy leadership election is scheduled to be declared at 10am BST.