Starmer dismisses fury at blocking rival Andy Burnham from MP bid saying it would cost Labour too much money – as revolt mounts

Keir Starmer today rejected the anger that prevented Andy Burnham from returning as an MP.

The Prime Minister has insisted that allowing the Mayor of Manchester to resign to fight the upcoming House of Commons by-election would ‘divert resources’.

He said Mr Burnham was ‘doing a fantastic job’ in his current role. The comments, made during a visit to London, came as the mayor warned Labor was in danger of losing out to Reform in the seat of Gorton and Denton.

Sir Keir faces a growing rebellion on his own bench to block the first step towards a leadership challenge.

The NEC said yesterday that creating a Manchester mayoral vacancy would be an unacceptable risk and would cost large sums of money.

Critics insist the prime minister was merely postponing his death; The backbenchers clearly want him to consider his position and engage Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner in ‘maneuvers’.

The situation could quickly deteriorate with Mr Burnham due to speak at a think tank event this morning and Sir Keir due to travel to China in the coming days.

Keir Starmer watched his Arsenal team lose to Manchester United in London yesterday afternoon.

Andy Burnham ratcheted up tensions today as Sir Keir warned Labor would lose the by-election it was prevented from contesting

Sir Keir said: ‘We have really important elections for local councils across England, very important elections for the Government in Wales and very important elections for the Scottish Government in Scotland that will affect millions of people. We are campaigning on the cost of living issue and these are very important elections.

‘We need to focus all our attention on these elections.

‘Andy Burnham is doing a fantastic job as mayor of Manchester, but running a Manchester mayoral election when it is not necessary will divert our resources away from the elections we need to make, fight for and win.

‘And resources, whether money or people, need to be focused on the choices we have to make, not the choices we don’t have to make. That was the basis for the NEC decision.’

Mr Burnham formally applied to put his name forward for by-elections in Gorton and Denton on Saturday, despite being told privately that the NEC would not allow it.

The contest was triggered by the resignation of former MP Andrew Gwynne, who was allowed to retire for medical reasons.

A meeting of the NEC’s most senior civil servants yesterday prevented Mr Burnham from being listed. Sir Keir was among eight people to vote against granting Mr Burnham permission, while deputy leader Lucy Powell was the only member to grant it.

While Nigel Farage has vowed to go all-in on the battle for Denton, polls suggest Reform could take the seat. It is not clear when the by-election will be held; There is speculation that Labor may even try to wait until May, when a number of local contests will take place.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, who toured broadcast studios on behalf of the government this morning, said: ‘The decision was about focus rather than factionalism.’

He added: ‘Whatever choice the national executive committee made yesterday, there was likely to be criticism and comments in the newspapers today. Let’s say there were ditches on both sides of the road.’

Had the NEC allowed Mr Burnham to run, there would have been ‘the equivalent of 20 by-elections diverting time, energy and money towards the Manchester mayoral contest’ in which Labor could have lost.

‘We would definitely fight hard in this race but there would also be a degree of risk; Reform is currently outpacing us by 10 to one and you can’t take anything for granted in the biggest and most unnecessary election contest in Britain.

‘This doesn’t seem like a risk-free choice to me.’

His biographer, Sir Keir’s close ally Tom Baldwin, posted on X last night: ‘Always loved @AndyBurnhamGM but the prospect of him returning to Westminster has already added to the introspective psychodrama that helps no one.

‘And an unnecessary by-election for the Mayor of Manchester could also damage his reputation in the long term.’

Denton contest triggered by resignation of former MP Andrew Gwynne, who was allowed to retire for medical reasons

But Mr Burnham hit back: ‘I’m not sure losing the by-election would do us any good either, Tom.’

While opposition extends beyond the ‘usual suspects’, condemnation of the NEC move has been led by left-wing MPs.

Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson told Times Radio: ‘This increases the level of factionalism that has been inherent in the party for too long and this needs to end.

‘And Keir Starmer now needs to consider his own position as leader of this party.’

Mr Burnham explained ‘how the Labor Party is run’ yesterday after revealing the decision had been told to the media before him.

Posting on X, Mr Burnham said: ‘I am disappointed by the NEC’s decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important election ahead.’

He added: ‘The fact that the media were informed about the NEC decision before I was tells you everything you need to know about how Labor is run these days.

‘You’d think 30+ years of service would mean something, but unfortunately it doesn’t.’

Amid the furore, Sir Keir was seen in the stands at the Emirates Stadium watching his football team Arsenal lose 3-2 at home to Manchester United.

Labor faces tough local elections in Wales and Scotland in May, where it is expected to deliver a disastrous performance and lose seats to UK Reform.

Karl Turner, the Labor MP for Kingston upon Hull East, said the decision to sabotage Mr Burnham’s bid ‘provided the party with a greater chance of a challenge’ if it lost the by-election.

Labor MP and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he had sent a message to the Prime Minister saying: “If he thinks this is strengthening his position, I think it will hasten his demise if he is not careful.”

And former Labor MP Diane Abbott, now an independent, added: ‘If the results in May are as bad as we all think they are, there will be a challenger from somewhere.’