A comment from sources close to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer sparked an angry response from leadership rival Andy Burnham
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham before the latest row broke out (Image: Getty)
Labour’s civil war continued as Andy Burnham accused Number 10 of spreading “untrue” rumours about his bid to return to Parliament. ITV political journalist Robert Peston reported that “sources close to the Prime Minister” said Mr Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, was told he would not be allowed to stand as Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
But the Downing Street sources said Mr Burnham applied to become the candidate even though he knew he would be rejected – which suggested that the politician, who is seen as a potential future Labour leader, deliberately chose to create a crisis for his party. Mr Peston said: “They therefore interpret his application as an explicit attempt to destabilise Starmer and sow dissent.” However, Mr Burnham hit back, saying bluntly: “This is simply untrue.”
The latest row came after Labour’s National Executive Committee voted to bar Mr Burnham from applying to be Labour’s by-election candidate – with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally urging the Committee to block his rival, on the grounds that it would lead to a an election for a replacement Greater Manchester Mayor, which Labour might lose.
But the decision provoked fury among some Labour MPs, and 50 have signed a letter condemning the move.
Critics of the decision say it also makes it more likely that Reform could win an historic victory in Gorton and Denton, in the poll expected on February 26. Labour held the seat with a 13,413 majority in 2024.
The by-election follows the resignation of ex-MP Andrew Gwynne, which said he was standing down for health reasons.
Sir Keir was forced to issue a statement insisting he has no plans to resign, despite speculation he could be replaced before the next election.
“I’ve got a five year mandate,” he said when asked in an interview with Bloomberg if he would stand in any leadership contest.
“It’s a considerable mandate. I intend to deliver on that.”
Other potential leadership candidates if Sir Keir is forced out include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Environment Secretary Ed Milliband, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
In a letter addressed to Sir Keir, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in her role as NEC chairwoman, and Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley, MPs called on the party’s ruling body to “re-evaluate the decision.”
“The decision by the NEC sub-committee to block Andy Burnham in Gorton and Denton has caused a huge amount of anxiety and anger amongst colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party, and amongst our local members around the country,” they said.
“At this moment of serious public cynicism about politics, denying our local members real choice and a chance to exercise their democratic voice only reinforces the idea that politics is a remote stitch-up from a small group of people at the very top in London.”
The names of the signatories are not expected to be made public.
