Labour's deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has said that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham would 'probably' have won the Gorton and Denton byelection, which the party lost to the Greens last week. Speaking to the BBC's Newscast podcast, Powell suggested that Burnham's candidacy would have deterred the Greens from targeting the seat, which had been a Labour stronghold for nearly a century.
The byelection saw Green candidate Hannah Spencer, a local plumber, overturn a 13,000 Labour majority from the general election. Reform UK's Matt Goodwin came second, just ahead of Labour's Angeliki Stogia. The result has intensified questions over Labour's decision to block Burnham from standing, a move opposed by Powell but supported by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the majority of the party's national executive committee.
Powell, who was the only NEC member to vote in favour of Burnham's candidacy, accepted collective responsibility for the decision, citing concerns about triggering a mayoral byelection in Greater Manchester. She called on the party to draw inspiration from Burnham's popularity, saying people see him as 'on their side' and delivering Labour values.
Burnham has not ruled out a future return to parliament, with an ally noting that 'with all the chaos and turmoil, who knows what might happen'. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to warn against moving left in response to the defeat, as she prepares to introduce tougher immigration measures next week.
