Labour's Deputy Leader urges colleagues not to plunge party into 'nasty and bloody internal contest' as she warns of impending devastating losses

Labour's Deputy Leader has issued a dire warning to plotters within the party not to start a "bloody internal contest" after the local elections.

Lucy Powell warned party members would take a very dim view" of any leadership challenge at a time when Sir Keir Starmer was dealing with momentous issues.

The Manchester Central MP admitted Labour was facing "difficult" elections on May 7, being squeezed in the polls by Reform UK and the Greens, she said the party needed raise its game and to remind people what the Labour government was doing and who it was trying to help.

Mrs Powell, a key ally of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, told the FT: "I think we’ve been too shy about some of the radical things we have been doing.

"People want us to sharpen up, get more political, tell the story much more strongly and take the fight to our political opponents."

In a veiled swipe at the Prime Minister, she suggested the party had failed to persuade voters that this was "a Labour government, doing Labour things".

While Mrs Powell admitted Sir Keir was getting a good reception on the doorstep for his handling of the Iran war, she said the party's focus now needed to be on issues including the cost of living, housing and security in work.

She added: "Some kind of messy, bloody internal contest is not going to help us address those issues."

Asked if Labour members wanted a leadership contest, she added: "I think the membership would take a very dim view of that."

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Here's what's happening today

Good morning and Happy Friday from all of us on the GB News Politics team. Here's what's happening today in Westminster and beyond...

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Sir Keir Starmer held a phone call with Donald Trump last night, just hours after the Prime Minister said he was "fed up" with the US President and Vladimir Putin. You can read the full read up from our reporter Fintan Starkey here,

Elsewhere, Defence Secretary John Healey is due to open the London Defence Conference where he'll be answering questions about the UK's response to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will launch his party's local election slogan "Vote Reform. Get Starmer Out."

Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey will begin the last day of his Red Wall tour with a rally in the Midlands.

Green leader Zack Polanski, who had his own similar "Vote Green. Let’s Make Hope Normal Again" slogan launched yesterday, is facing calls from senior party figures not to alienate the party’s traditional environmental base with issues including the Israel-Palestine conflict and LGBT+ rights.

North of the border, the Holyrood campaign is ramping up with Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar is launching his party’s battle bus at 10am in Glasgow, with his Conservative counterpart Russell Findlay also in the city where he’ll be accusing the SNP of wasting taxpayer money.

First Minister John Swinney is in Inverness today, announcing out a package of measures that he says will support people into home ownership.

Parliament is back sitting on Monday and here on GB News we'll be joined by Defence Procurement Minister Luke Pollard.