Labour was plunged into open warfare after Andy Burnham was blocked from seeking a Commons comeback. The Greater Manchester Mayor sought permission to quit his post to contest the Gorton and Denton by-election amid rampant speculation he was preparing to challenge Keir Starmer.
A 10-strong panel of Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) voted to block him by 8 to 1 in a meeting that lasted less than an hour. Only Deputy Leader Lucy Powell voted in favour of letting Mr Burnham run, while the PM personally opposed it.
A row erupted over the bombshell decision, with fuming MPs warning the PM looks 'weak' and risks opening the door to Reform in Labour's Greater Manchester stronghold. But others accused Mr Burnham of putting his own interests first and risking a costly mayoral contest as Labour faces make-or-break elections in May.
Tonight, Mr Burnham said he was 'disappointed' by the decision and warned of its 'potential impact on the important elections ahead of us'. In a fiery postscript, he added: 'The fact that the media was informed of the NEC decision before I was tells you everything you need to know about the way the Labour Party is being run these days.' A Labour source responded: 'This is categorically not true.'
Supporters of the PM believe letting Mr Burnham run would saddle the taxpayer with the cost of a mayoral by-election and risked inviting further leadership speculation. A Labour source said: 'The country voted for this Labour because it was totally fed up with 14 years of the Tories and their constant psychodrama.' Another source insisted the NEC was simply acting in line with party rules.
One MP told the Mirror: 'Of course the party can’t let him take the piss and cause a by-election like this. No matter who it is.' But another MP warned: 'It makes Keir look weak. The party should not try to stop [Burnham], let the members decide. We believe in democracy.' Former Cabinet minister Louise Haigh called for the NEC to 'change course and make the right decision', adding: 'Otherwise I think we'll all come to regret this.'
