The Labor Party have blocked Andy Burnham from running in a by-election.
Keir Starmer was slammed on GB News for blocking Andy Burnham’s attempt to run in a by-election (Image: Getty)
GB News guest Fraser Myers slammed Keir Starmer, after the Labour Party‘s National Executive Council blocked Andy Burnham from standing in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election on Sunday, January 25. Discussing the decision on GB News Breakfast with hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello, he said: “Starmer will have to take full responsibility for the result of that by-election, when maybe he could have blamed it on Andy Burnham not being as popular with the public as he imagined, or not, as popular with the public as he is within the Labour Party.
“Instead, he now has to completely own that decision. And it does look as if Keir Starmer cannot stand other tall poppies, other people who might have either some talent or some popularity within the Labour front bench, within the parliamentary party. I mean, there were stories from a few years ago where Starmer was said to be seething when Andy Burnham did well in the 2021 Greater Manchester,” he said.
Revealing the two men don’t get along, he said: “They haven’t ever since Starmer sought his backing for the leadership and Burnham said, No, they haven’t really got along. They got on before that.”
Holmes pointed out that since the Prime Minister sits on the NEC, “we could assume that Starmer voted for that decision.”
“The votes went eight to one in favour of blocking Burnham, Shabana Mahmood as the chair, but she remained neutral.
“But one of the things that Starmer did when he took over was he made sure that he took over all these institutions within the Labour Party, like the National Executive Committee.
Fraser Myers slammed Keir Starmer in a chat with Ellie Costello and Eamonn Holmes on GB News (Image: GB News)
“It’s supposed to be actually independent of the leadership, but it really isn’t. I’m sure Starmer will now say that it was a totally independent decision, and I had nothing to do with it, and will want to wash his hands of it.
“But we shouldn’t believe him if he does that. This is entirely – they’re (the NEC) doing the bidding of Keir Starmer.”
Following the decision Burnham broke his silence on X. “I am disappointed by today’s NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us,” he wrote.
“To whoever is Labour’s candidate and to our members in Manchester and Tameside: you will have my full support, and I will be there whenever you need me. Tomorrow I return with full focus to my role as Mayor of [Greater Manchester], defending everything we have built in our city-region over many years.”
