Keir Starmer has defended Labour's decision to prevent Andy Burnham from standing in the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection, a move that has sparked significant internal party backlash. The prime minister argued that allowing the Greater Manchester mayor to contest the seat would necessitate a costly mayoral byelection, diverting resources from other crucial elections scheduled for May.
Speaking after the National Executive Committee (NEC) voted 8-0 to block Burnham's candidacy, Starmer emphasised the need to focus on local elections in England, Wales, and Scotland, as well as the battle against Reform UK. He stated that Burnham is doing an excellent job as mayor, but triggering an unnecessary election would strain party funds and personnel.
Burnham expressed disappointment at the decision, which he learned of through the media, criticising the party's internal communication. Despite pledging to support the eventual candidate, he later suggested Labour might lose the byelection, which was triggered by Andrew Gwynne's resignation.
The decision has angered many Labour MPs and union leaders. Andrea Egan of Unison said members would be 'disappointed and angry', while one union source described the move as 'blatant gerrymandering'. Senior figures including Ed Miliband and Sadiq Khan had called for Burnham to be allowed to stand.
Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander acknowledged that the leak of the NEC decision was regrettable, but accepted that such leaks sometimes occur during internal meetings.
