Andy Burnham latest: Decision day for Labour as Starmer allies warned not to block mayor’s Commons bid

The Home Secretary said Donald Trump’s praise of British forces, in which he did not directly apologize for previous comments about NATO’s role in Afghanistan, was “as good as it gets” from him.

Asked about Mr Trump’s comments on Saturday, Shabana Mahmood told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “I think it’s an admission that what was said initially was extremely offensive.

“The memories of our brave soldiers who gave their lives in combat and who came to the aid of the United States after the entry into force of NATO’s Article Five were truly humbling.”

Asked if this was truly an apology, he said: “The president is doing what he wants.

“When they got a call from the Prime Minister to discuss issues related to Ukraine and other international issues, the Prime Minister stated directly to the president how we felt about the initial comments, and I think that was a response to that.

“I suspect that’s as good as it gets as far as the president is concerned.”

Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said Mr Trump “must think carefully about making such brazen statements in the future” following his “appalling” comments about NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Asked if she believed the US president was “genuinely” sorry, Dame Priti told Trevor Phillips: “I think so. I think he clearly accepts that what he said was wrong, there’s no doubt about that, but you know, that’s what he said.”

“And the truth is, I think there’s a broader message here that he needs to think carefully about making such brazen statements in the future; it was completely wrong and appalling.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has rejected proposals for an all-BAME (Black and minority ethnic) shortlist in the seat where Andy Burnham has applied for permission to standWhitehall Editor writes Kate Devlin.

She told Sky News the party sometimes had all-female shortlists, but added: “By law you can’t have shortlists of all ethnic minorities. So there’s a legal position there.”

Andy Burnham’s decision to throw his hat in the ring in this by-election has thrust Labour’s internal battle over Keir Starmer’s future into the spotlight. Whitehall Editor writes Kate Devlin.

Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood, who has herself been cited as a potential leadership candidate, today called for coolness to prevail. He told Sky News that Labor “needs to decide whether we are going to join the psychodrama”.

Overnight, backlash against Mr Burnham grew among Labor MPs and a second MP went public with his opposition.

Another MP had said it before Independent It was stated that Mr Bunrham’s decision was a “show of ego”. But his supporters fear a powerful Labor committee chaired by Ms Mahmood will block his return to Westminster.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she had confidence in Andy Burnham, who said he supported Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Mahmood said: “Andy said in his own words that Keir was the best prime minister and he made it very clear in his letter what his motivation was for coming to parliament.”

Asked by Laura Kuenssberg if she believed Mr Burnham, Ms Mahmood replied: “I believe him because I take his word for it. I’ve never had any reason not to take his word for it. I trust him… And I’ll take what he says, because I know I can do that with Andy.”

Labor member Baroness Shami Chakrabarti said Andy Burnham’s proposal should be decided by local members.

Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Baroness Shami said: “He should be allowed to put himself between the members for Gorton and Denton, like the other candidates. “Frankly speaking, if the London Labor leadership were seen to block a very popular Manchester mayor in the Manchester seat for the third time in a row, it would be a really bad look if the biggest threat is Reform, the populist far-right, and he might be the candidate most likely to beat Reform.

“We don’t want to be a soap opera, we don’t want to knock the Beckhams out of the headlines for the wrong reasons.”

The home secretary chairs the committee made up of Labour’s powerful ruling body, which will make the decision. Whitehall Editor writes Kate Devlin.

As a metro mayor, Mr Burnham must ask permission to run for office from the National Executive Committee (NEC), whose members include many Starmer loyalists.

However, Ms Mahmood also acknowledged that the NEC could decide to implement the All Women Shortlist (AWS) at a later date.

This mechanism exists because the majority of Labor MPs are still men. She told Sky News: “There is no doubt that we would like to have an all-female shortlist at some point.

“But the initial verdict is, the mayor of Metro asked for a leave of absence. He did exactly what the rules required him to do.”

Shabana Mahmood, chair of the powerful NEC committee that will decide on Mr Burnham’s bid, said the country would not forgive Labour’s focus on domestic issues, saying her colleagues should not get caught up in “psychodrama”.

Asked by Trevor Phillips whether a “psychodrama” would be launched with Mr Burnham’s return to the House of Commons, Ms Mahmood said: “Everyone needs to make their own decisions. I think everyone could do with less psychodrama, and my clear message to all colleagues, whoever they are, is that we need to decide whether we want to indulge ourselves in a psychodrama. And I don’t want to do that.”

He said the country “won’t forgive us” if Labor becomes as dramatic as the former Conservative government.

Speaking about whether Labor could win the upcoming by-election, he said: “You can’t get into any election other than being in the front row.

“We know the country is still impatient for more change.

“The Labor Party has a strong case to make first to the people of Denton and then to people all over the country, whether in Manchester or elsewhere.”

As the mayor of Greater Manchester plans a return to Westminster, Labour’s ruling body will decide whether Andy Burnham can stand in the by-election.

The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is expected to meet virtually on Sunday after Mr Burnham applied for leave to stand in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-elections.

Labor rules give the NEC veto power over regional mayors contesting parliamentary elections, in a change made after the last election to avoid costly mayoral by-elections.

The committee currently faces a dilemma about whether to exercise this power; sources worry that whether Mr Burnham is allowed to run will anger some party members.

Sources close to the NEC have expressed concern about the expense of fighting Manchester’s mayoral by-election, while reports suggest Sir Keir Starmer’s supporters are concerned about Mr Burnham’s leadership ambitions.

But senior Labor figures, including Cabinet minister and former leader Ed Miliband, urged the committee not to block Mr Burnham’s candidacy and let local members decide.

Ms Mahmood said Labor “should take Andy at his word” and believed he wanted to support the government.

Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips, he said: “I don’t think that’s what all these assumptions, all these machinations are about. I understand why people are asking these questions, but from my perspective, to be honest, we need to come together as a government and as a party. We’ve got tough local elections coming up, we’ve got a strong case to make to the country, I’m not afraid of Reform or the Greens, I’m saying we’ve given them the fight. It’s a fight I believe we can win.”

Addressing the drama caused by Mr Burnham’s bid to become an MP, Ms Mahmood said: “Everyone has to make their own decisions… I think everyone could do with less psychodrama.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Andy Burnham was a “fantastic mayor for Greater Manchester” and refused to be asked whether she would support his bid to become an MP.

Speaking on Sky on Sunday morning, he said Mr Burnham’s letter to Labour’s NEC had put his case “fairly and properly”.

He added: “I am the chairman of that committee and I think it is my duty to be an impartial chairman… It is not my duty as chairman to comment.”

He said: “I’m playing this business straight, we have a meeting later today and the decision will be made there.”