Andy Burnham Prevented From Standing in February Byelection

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Labour’s decision-making body, the National Executive Committee, has banned Andy Burnham from standing in Gorton and Denton’s by-election, scheduled for 26 February. 

Burnham, the current mayor of Greater Manchester, is widely regarded as a potential challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership. The decision prevents him, for now, from returning to Westminster as a Labour MP.   

Responding on X, Burnham stated his disappointment in the ruling, and claimed that he put himself forward to ‘prevent the divisive politics of Reform’.

Starmer was a part of the Committee involved in the decision, which voted eight to one to block Burnham’s bid . The Committee justified the move by citing the unaffordability in running campaigns for both the parliamentary seat and Manchester’s mayoral contest. 

Speaking to reporters, the Prime Minister echoed the same reasons and responded to claims that he blocked the bid to head off a leadership challenge, insisting the issue was one of ‘focus’. This move has underlined internal divisions within the Labour Party, with certain MPs expressing their opposition to this decision such as Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and London’s mayor Sadiq Khan.  

Before winning Manchester’s mayoralty in 2017, Burnham had served as an MP for Leigh and stood twice to be Labour’s leader. His popularity is evident in  recent polls, demonstrating his positive favourability ratings compared to senior Labour figures, and prevalent views that he would make a better Prime Minister than Starmer. Despite this setback, his status as a credible contender for the Labour leadership remains intact and this will likely not be his last attempt to return to Westminster.