Labour row after Andy Burnham blocked from byelection race

 Keir Starmer among those to vote against move to allow potential rival as prime minister compete to be a candidate in vacated seat

Andy Burnham is seen as a major rival to succeed Starmer in the event of a challenge against the prime minister, whose personal poll ratings are disastrous. Picture: Philip Toscano/PA

Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) has blocked Andy Burnham’s request to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton byelection, setting off an immediate and furious row within the party.

In a vote of the 10-strong “officers’ group” of the NEC, only one person, Lucy Powell, the party deputy leader and a close ally of Burnham, voted to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to compete to be a candidate in the seat vacated by Andrew Gwynne this week.