Andy Burnham Blocked From Running To Be An MP By Labour’s Ruling Body

Andy Burnham has been blocked from running to be a Labour MP by the party’s ruling body.

The mayor of Greater Manchester had been hoping to be selected as the party’s candidate for the upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton after Andrew Gwynne’s resignation this week.

As a directly elected mayor, he needed permission from Labour’s top team to run.

However, the National Executive Committee (NEC) has chosen to bar his bid to return to Westminster.

Out of a group of 10, eight voted against Burnham and one in favour of letting him run.

The chair, home secretary Shabana Mahmood, abstained from the vote altogether.

It follows fears from Keir Starmer’s allies that the so-called King of the North would be able to challenge the prime minister more effectively if he had a seat in parliament.

There were also concerns about the costs of runnning a new election for the mayoralty if he were to become an MP.

But the move is likely to generate a significant divide within the Labour Party amid accusations of a stitch-up.

Senior Labour figures including energy secretary Ed Miliband and Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell had called on the NEC to allow Burnham to run.

On Monday, the NEC will choose a longlist of possible Labour candidates for the by-election.