Andy Burnham is being accused of manipulating the electoral rules for the upcoming Greater Manchester mayoral by-election to prevent Reform UK from winning, according to a political commentator. The by-election, triggered by Burnham's move to London after being chosen as Labour leader and de facto Prime Minister, will cost an estimated £5 million.
Rule change to supplementary vote
The Labour Party has replaced the first-past-the-post system with the supplementary vote system for the election of Burnham's successor. Under the old system, a strong Reform candidate could have won with a plurality if the left-wing vote was split among Labour, the Greens, and other parties. The new system allows voters to mark a second preference, and if no candidate achieves a majority, the second preferences of eliminated candidates are redistributed until a winner emerges. Critics argue this change is designed to allow left-leaning parties to pool their votes and lock out Reform.
Political motivations questioned
Aaron Newbury, a political correspondent, wrote that Burnham's instinct is not to win the argument but to rig the pitch. He noted that Labour had previously blocked Burnham from returning to Parliament in Gorton and Denton to avoid losing the mayoralty. The rule change is seen as part of a pattern of Labour altering electoral rules when they cannot win under the existing ones, such as past proposals to lower the voting age to 16.
Impact on Reform UK
Reform UK has been forced to redirect its campaign resources from Manchester to Clacton, where party leader Nigel Farage is fighting his own by-election. This move is seen as a strategic setback for the party, which had hoped to capitalize on a split left-wing vote.
Broader implications
The controversy comes as Burnham is expected to become Prime Minister without facing a general election, following a Labour Party internal process. Critics argue that his first act as leader-in-waiting reveals an anti-democratic tendency, prioritizing party advantage over fair electoral competition.
