Andy Burnham's bid to return as MP blocked by Labour's ruling body

"Andy Burnham has been blocked from standing as a candidate for an upcoming parliamentary by-election in Gorton and Denton by Labour's ruling body. As a directly elected mayor, Burnham had to get approval from Labour's national executive committee (NEC), after he applied to be a candidate on Saturday. Some NEC members were concerned about an expensive mayoral election to replace Burnham, and allies of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer feared he could mount a leadership challenge, should he return to Westminster."

"It is a big political gamble by allies of the prime minister and risks inflaming tensions within the party, which is consistently trailing Reform UK in national opinion polls. One senior Labour source who had been supportive of Burnham's candidacy said: "They're gambling the PM's whole premiership on winning a very hard by-election without their best candidate. It is madness.""

Andy Burnham was blocked from standing as Labour's candidate in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election by the party's national executive committee. As a directly elected mayor, Burnham required NEC approval after applying to be a candidate. Some NEC members feared an expensive mayoral election to replace him and party allies of Sir Keir Starmer worried he could mount a leadership challenge if he returned to Westminster. The decision, taken by ten NEC members including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, has angered MPs and ministers who wanted local members to choose. Labour cited organisational implications and potential taxpayer costs, with the last mayoral election costing around 4.7m.

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