ITV political editor Robert Peston reported this morning from “sources close to the PM” that “Burnham was informed in no uncertain terms that he would be repulsed if he requested permission of the NEC committee to put his name forward for the Gorton and Denton by election.” His obstinance could therefore be interpreted purely as an attempt to destabilise Starmer…
Burnham’s team saw this, disputed it and said: “Andy Burnham is seeking an urgent call with No 10 about the briefing which he says is untrue and breaks a commitment given to him by the PM.” Also reported to Peston…
Here comes Robert again: “Another source close to the PM disputes what my original source close to the PM says about Burnham being warned not to bother to apply to be a candidate in the by election. Just so you know.” That went well…
Downing Street is chalking up Burnham’s blockage as a win even as backbenchers organise in favour of the Manchester mayor and government figures privately admit Gorton and Denton is now lost for the Labour Party. It’s the small victories…
A Downing Street source tells Guido that Starmer’s top aides are “wandering around as if they’ve just pulled off Operation Mincemeat” after executing the “only thing Keir could do.” Starmer’s opponents are empowered but government sources still don’t predict any movement until after the May local elections…
Fifty backbenchers have written to Starmer to complain that blocking Burnham is a “real gift” to Reform while the left-wing Tribune Group complains separately to Shabana Mahmood about the NEC decision. Government figures are briefing in anticipation of a hard landing – one tells the Times that the choice was losing the by-election or losing Manchester…
Housing secretary Steve Reed – on the morning round today – said Burnham should serve his full term: “Voters have a right to expect that if they elect a politician to a job, that they will serve out the full term for the job that they have elected them to do.” The Greens are now in pole position with the bookies in Gorton and Denton on 43% to Reform’s 36% – Labour trails on 20%…
Starmer has spoken to the cameras for the first time since blocking Andy Burnham’s attempt to ride south. He insisted the by-election bid was ‘unnecessary’, would have ‘diverted’ party resources, and the real ‘fight’ is against Reform. Andy Burnham is ‘doing a great job’, says the man gritting his teeth so hard his jaw is about to explode…
Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander has crystallised the reasoning behind the Labour NEC’s decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in the by-election. Speaking to Sky News he said:
“There would have been three months of psychodrama. Who’s up? Who’s down? Who’s getting on with who? Who’s standing against who? Would that have been in the best interest of the Labour Party? Honestly I don’t think it would have”
In the meantime far-left Labour MPs are the only ones hitting the airwaves to publicly attack the NEC decision to block Burnham. Richard Burgon, Kim Johnson, Nadia Whittome…
Starmer’s hagiographer and wannabe Communications Director Tom Baldwin said similar on X: “the prospect of Burnham returning to Westminster has already added to inward-looking psychodrama that does no one any good.” To which Burnham replied: “I’m not sure losing a by-election does us any good either, Tom.” Game on for Reform…
The NEC voted 8-1 against him. Only Lucy Powell voted in favour. Grab the popcorn…
UPDATE:
Statement from the Labour Party:
“Directly Elected Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners must seek the express permission of Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, before seeking nomination as a Labour candidate for the Westminster Parliament in accordance with Chapter 5, Clause IV, 2 of the Labour Party Rule Book. This rule was put in place to avoid the party incurring unnecessary costs of running two simultaneous political campaigns.
Yesterday, Andy Burnham sought such permission from the NEC to stand in the Gorton and Denton Parliamentary by-election, which would have led to a mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester. The NEC has decided not to grant Andy Burnham permission to stand.
The NEC believes that causing an unnecessary election for the position of Greater Manchester Mayor would have a substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources ahead of the local elections and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd in May. Although the Party would be confident of retaining the mayoralty, the NEC could not put Labour’s control of Greater Manchester at any risk.
Andy Burnham is doing a great job as Mayor of Greater Manchester. We believe it is in the best interests of the party to avoid an unnecessary Mayoral election, which would use substantial amounts of taxpayers’ money and resources that are better spent tackling the cost of living crisis.
We look forward to fighting and winning the upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton and the positive campaign ahead, which will be firmly focused on tackling the cost of living and bringing investment to the local area.”
The exhaustive list, because Guido couldn’t resist:
Incidentally Andy has also spoken about how terrible the costs are for elections and how leadership wrangling “doesn’t help anybody.” Tempora mutantur…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”