Andy Burnham blocked from by-election as Labour civil warfare explodes | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The Labour Party has blocked Andy Burnham from standing within the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, a bombshell transfer that’s set to spark probably the most livid civil warfare inside the celebration because the common election.

The information broke after the celebration’s National Executive Committee convened this morning for a make-or-break assembly to resolve Mr Burnham’s destiny.

The assembly, which lasted just below an hour, noticed the panel of Keir Starmer loyalists vote in favour of blocking Mr Burnham from making use of for the Labour candidacy.

The small clique insists that the refusal is right down to fears about the price of having to carry a by-election for Metro Mayor of Manchester ought to Mr Burnham be permitted to face for parliament, a by-election Reform UK may win.

An NEC supply advised the Express that Keir Starmer personally led the cost to shoot down Mr Burnham’s MP ambitions, talking first and voting towards letting his prime rival return to Westminster.

The supply stated: “Keir was there and led from the front. He took up the mantel and even the most sceptical about Keir were very impressed.

“The Prime Minister argued that we could not threat a by-election in Greater Manchester [for mayor]and that the psychodrama from the final 48 hours had not been useful.”

While Sir Keir repeated that Mr Burnham was a “nice mayor doing a terrific job”, he barely addressed him by name for the remainder of his remarks.

Opponents of Keir Starmer are set to accuse the party’s leadership of blocking Mr Burnham over fears he will launch a leadership coup against the historically unpopular Prime Minister.

Mr Burnham’s dreams of returning to Westminster were crushed by a landslide vote of 8-1, as the NEC wielded Keir Starmer’s authority to protect the Prime Minister.

The only member of the committee to vote in favour of Mr Burnahm was Lucy Powell, the elected deputy leader of the party and a fellow Mancunian. NEC chair Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, did not cast a vote.

The NEC source said that Ms Powell argued that Mr Burnham was the “greatest particular person to win” the Gorton and Denton seat, though added she was clearly “uncomfortable” given her isolation in the room.

While Sir Keir may breathe a sigh of relief at the outcome, the news is set to spark a furious civil war within the party, after days of Labour MPs warning the Prime Minister not to block Mr Burnham.

The by-election will now also expose the Prime Minister to another defeat at the hands of Reform UK and Nigel Farage, with polls suggesting the insurgent right-wing party is set to take the seat without the star power that Mr Burnham could have brought to the fight.

This morning Ms Mahmood praised Mr Burnham as an “distinctive politician”, and said she was taking him at his word when promising he would use his role in parliament to support, not undermine, the Prime Minister.

She told Sky News: “I all the time assume we should always have all of our greatest gamers making their contribution to the Labour Government.”

On Saturday night Mr Burnham confirmed he was in search of the precise to face within the by-election, showing to warn Sir Keir that it could possibly be misplaced with out his native reputation.

Mr Burnham wrote that the by-election can be the “front line” of a battle towards “a brand of politics which seeks to pit people against each other”.

Labour won the Gorton and Denton constituency in 2024 with 51% of the vote, but it’s now forecast by polling experts that Reform would secure a comfortable win of six points over Labour’s candidate.

Nigel Farage is eyeing up 32% of the vote, to Labour’s 26% and the Green Party’s 22%.

However Britain Predicts found that with Mr Burnham as Labour’s candidate, he would beat Reform with a lead of four points.

Responding to the news, Reform UK’s Nadhim Zahawi, the former Chancellor, branded Sir Keir Starmer a “weak” and “imploding” Prime Minister.

Rosie Duffield, the Canterbury MP elected for Labour in 2024, said: “Of course Starmer loyalists have blocked Andy Burnham. He’s common and an efficient chief, which simply additional highlights how loathed and weak Sir Keir is. End days for this administration now…”