Ask Onix
Labour's ruling body rejects Burnham's parliamentary return
Andy Burnham, the directly elected mayor of Greater Manchester, has been barred from standing as Labour's candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) announced on Sunday.
Decision sparks internal backlash
The NEC's move has angered several Labour MPs, who argue that local party members should have been allowed to choose Burnham, a former cabinet minister and two-time leadership contender, as their candidate. The seat became vacant on Friday after Andrew Gwynne, the former Labour MP, resigned on health grounds.
Critics within the party describe the decision as a high-risk gamble that could deepen divisions at a time when Labour is trailing Reform UK in national polls. One senior Labour source called it "madness," warning that the prime minister's allies were "gambling his entire premiership on winning a difficult by-election without their strongest candidate."
NEC vote and reasoning
The NEC, which includes Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, party chair Ellie Reeves, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, voted 8-1 to block Burnham's candidacy on Sunday morning. Starmer was among those who voted against allowing Burnham to stand, while Mahmood abstained and deputy leader Lucy Powell supported his bid.
Sources close to the NEC cited concerns over the cost of a potential mayoral election to replace Burnham, estimated at £4.7 million, as well as fears that Reform UK could outspend Labour tenfold during the by-election campaign. They also argued that a divisive mayoral contest would drain party resources ahead of local elections in May.
"The NEC believes that causing an unnecessary election for the position of Greater Manchester mayor would have a substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources ahead of the local elections and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd in May,"
Labour Party statement
Public and political reactions
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell condemned the decision as "weakness and cowardice," suggesting it reflected "factionalism gone wild." He warned Starmer that the move could "hasten his demise" and called the justification-avoiding the cost of a mayoral election-an "insult to people's intelligence."
However, other Labour MPs, such as John Slinger of Rugby, welcomed the decision, describing it as "quick and clear" and a chance to "move on from damaging introspection." Local Government Secretary Steve Reed echoed this sentiment, stating that the NEC's decision spared two million Greater Manchester voters the "huge inconvenience" of a mayoral by-election.
"I know that's disappointing for Andy. But it's good news for the people of Greater Manchester because he's been doing such a good job as the mayor there,"
Steve Reed, Local Government Secretary
Burnham's political future
Burnham, who previously served as MP for Leigh, has been widely tipped as a potential challenger to Starmer for the Labour leadership. However, under party rules, he can only mount a leadership bid if he holds a seat in the House of Commons. In his letter to the NEC on Saturday, Burnham insisted he sought a return to Parliament to "support the work of the government, not undermine it," and claimed he had given this assurance to the prime minister.
Gorton and Denton, a traditionally Labour stronghold, was won by the party in 2024 with a majority of 13,000. However, Labour's declining popularity since then could make the by-election competitive, with Reform UK and the Green Party posing significant challenges.
