UK PM’s rival blocked from seeking parliamentary return
UK Labor Party politician Andy Burnham was blocked from trying to return to parliament by Labour’s governing body; this will be seen as a political move by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his allies to keep a potential leadership rival at bay.
Burnham, one of the party’s best-known politicians and the elected mayor of the northern English city of Manchester, said on Saturday that he wanted to be Labour’s candidate to replace an MP who resigned last week.
Local news sources reported that he was denied leave by Labour’s National Executive Committee.
Blocking Burnham’s candidacy would deny her any chance of gaining a platform from which to formally challenge Starmer, as only members of parliament can trigger a leadership contest.
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The decision was taken by a 10-member sub-group of the NEC, chaired by Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood, on Sunday morning.
Confirming the decision in a statement, Labor said the NEC had decided to refuse Burnham permission to stand in order to avoid “an unnecessary election for the position of mayor of Greater Manchester”.
The party said the mayoral by-election, held before local elections in May, “will have a significant and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources”.
“We believe it is in the party’s interest to avoid an unnecessary mayoral election that would result in a significant waste of taxpayer money and resources that would be better spent combating the crisis.”
The NEC’s decision will fuel discontent in the ruling party, whose popularity has fallen since its landslide election victory in July 2024, where Starmer has struggled to deliver on promises of a stronger economy, better public services and tighter borders.
Last week, bond markets reacted negatively to the prospect of Burnham returning to parliament; some investors thought this could trigger political “turmoil” and “looser fiscal policy” if Starmer was eventually replaced.
Burnham criticized Starmer’s leadership last year but said on Saturday he had reassured the prime minister that he wanted to “support the work of the government, not undermine it”.
Burnham was unable to run for party leader when she lost to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.
He left parliament in 2017 to become mayor of Greater Manchester but remained an influential figure for some progressive groups within the Labor Party, particularly those critical of Starmer’s more centrist stance.
A Labor MP told the Press Association the decision was “utter nonsense” and predicted the party would now lose the Gorton and Denton by-elections.
Former cabinet minister Louise Haigh said the decision was “incredibly disappointing” and called on the NEC to “change course and make the right decision”.
He told PA: “Otherwise I think we’ll all regret it.”
Although previous MP Andrew Gwynne won the constituency comfortably in 2024, Labour’s decline in poll numbers since then means the party faces an uphill battle from Reform UK and the Green Party to retain the seat.
But other Labor MPs also backed the decision, urging the party to avoid infighting and go on to win the by-election.
Phil Brickell, who represents the Greater Manchester constituency of Bolton West, said recent speculation about Burnham’s candidacy had “caused Labor to rapidly turn inward…undermining the Prime Minister’s efforts at home and abroad”.
with PA
