US EditionAndy Burnham 'disappointed' after bid to return as MP blocked by Labour's governing body
Labour’s National Executive Committee blocked Burnham to avoid costly mayoral by-election and limit leadership rivalry, with an 8-1 vote led by Sir Keir Starmer.
- On January 25, Labour's National Executive Committee blocked Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election by an eight to one vote.
- Party officials said the move aimed to avoid an unnecessary by-election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty that would use taxpayers' money and divert resources ahead of May elections.
- A 10-strong NEC subcommittee refused Burnham's application, with Lucy Powell, Deputy Leader, as the sole supporter and Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary and NEC chair, abstaining.
- Gorton and Denton may become a three-way contest with Reform UK and the Greens, raising Labour's risk of losing the seat, while Burnham said he was disappointed but will fully support Labour's candidate.
- The episode highlights tensions between central control and internal democracy, exposing risks for Labour members and local party activists and blocking Andy Burnham as a gamble for Sir Keir Starmer.
72 Articles
72 Articles
Meet the NI woman rising through the ranks of the Labour Party
Bev Craig had been tipped to be the Labour candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election after the NEC refused to allow Andy Burnham to stand. Sitting down with Belfast Live, she explained why she didn't put herself forward
Peter Franklin: What would be the best outcome of the Gorton and Denton by-election?
Peter Franklin is an Associate Editor of UnHerd. When Alan Clark died in 1999, his vacant seat became the subject of immediate, if unseemly, speculation. The big question was whether Michael Portillo — the highest profile casualty of the 1997 Tory defeat — would stand in the looming by-election and thus make an early return to Parliament. William Hague, who was the Conservative leader at the time, must have feared the worst. Not only was Portill…
Labour blocks Andy Burnham from standing for parliament: how it happened and why
The Labour party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has voted to block Andy Burnham from seeking selection for the vacant Gorton and Denton parliamentary seat. The move and its fallout have exposed fault lines within the Labour party that go beyond a single byelection. What might otherwise have been a routine internal procedural matter has instead become a revealing episode about authority, legitimacy and control inside the party – and how Kei…
The British Prime Minister has blocked his worst competitor's way to London, which could have been a mistake.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
