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.

The other eight members, which included the prime minister Keir Starmer, voted against the move, with the NEC chair, the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, abstaining.

The decision would appear to completely stop Burnham’s attempts to return to parliament in the short term, where he would be seen as a major rival to succeed Starmer in the event of a challenge against the prime minister, whose personal poll ratings are disastrous.

A Labour statement said that under party rules, sitting mayors or police and crime commissioners must seek permission to stand for parliament. “The NEC has decided not to grant Andy Burnham permission to stand,” it said.

“The NEC believes that causing an unnecessary election for the position of Greater Manchester mayor would have a substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources ahead of the local elections and elections to the Scottish parliament and Welsh Senedd in May. Although the party would be confident of retaining the mayoralty, the NEC could not put Labour’s control of Greater Manchester at any risk.

It added: “Andy Burnham is doing a great job as mayor of Greater Manchester. We believe it is in the best interests of the party to avoid an unnecessary mayoral election which would use substantial amounts of taxpayers’ money and resources that are better spent tackling the cost of living crisis.”

Allies of Starmer characterised the NEC’s decision as simply upholding party rules. But those who had urged Starmer to allow Burnham stand said the decision was a calamitous mistake.

One source on the party’s soft left said: “No 10 have chosen factionalism over what’s right for the party. They will have to change course, not least once they realise they will lose the byelection without Andy.”

There was no immediate reaction from Burnham. Mainstream, the left-leaning Labour group associated with the Greater Manchester mayor and other senior figures such as Powell, said: “Labour must reverse this decision if it is serious about putting country before party. We urge the party to reconsider in the interests of taking on Reform and building the strongest possible team in Westminster.” 

Another Labour source said the NEC meeting, described as “respectful and collegiate”, had heard concerns about the cost of holding a mayoral byelection to replace Burnham two years into his term, and worries about a divisive campaign by Reform UK.

Guardian