Andy Burnham Faces Clash With Downing Street Over MP Bid

Andy Burnham is seeking urgent talks with 10 Downing Street over claims allies of the prime minister are briefing against him.

The Manchester mayor reacted angrily following claims he was warned that his bid to become an MP again was doomed to fail.

A sub-committee of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) – which included Keir Starmer – blocked Burnham’s bid to become the party’s candidate in next month’s Gorton and Denton by-election.

The prime minister has said the decision was taken to avoid triggering a by-election to replace Burnham as mayor.

ITV political editor Robert Peston reported on Tuesday that Burnham was “informed in no uncertain terms” that he would be turned down if he put his name forward.

But Burnham hit back: “It is simply untrue to say that I was told that I would be blocked.

“I went through the whole weekend having conversations with people in No.10, people in senior positions in the party, to discuss the pros and cons.

“It’s simply untrue to say that there was a message given that I would definitely be blocked because after all the NEC is meant to be an independent body, so how could somebody say that it’s definitely going to be blocked if they are an independent body?

“So it doesn’t stack up what they are saying and it is simply untrue.”

A source close to the mayor added: “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.”

Downing Street has been contacted for comment.

Meanwhile, Labour members in Gorton and Denton have written to Starmer and home secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is chair of the NEC, demanding they be given a say on the party’s by-election candidate.

In a letter, they said: “We didn’t want any of this to happen, but now it has, all we want is a full voice and a say in who our candidate should be.

“Let the best come forward to represent our wonderful constituency and brilliant people. Let the brightest and most convincing campaigner be selected in what will be a nation defining by-election battle between Labour and Reform.

“Let Gorton and Denton not be the first domino in Greater Manchester to fall to Reform and instead the platform for the fight back against national populism.”

Around 50 Labour MPs and peers have also written to Starmer claiming the decision to block Burnham is “a gift to Nigel Farage”.

But housing secretary Steve Reed insisted the decision was “done and dusted”.