Manchester Mayor Reveals Prime Minister Declined Conversation Before Candidate Block
Andy Burnham has disclosed that Sir Keir Starmer declined to speak with him prior to the decision to block his candidacy in the upcoming Gorton & Denton by-election. The Manchester mayor expressed that he would have "preferred" a direct discussion with the Prime Minister before being refused permission to stand as Labour's candidate in the contest.
Assurances Sought Amid Fears of Election Loss
Mr Burnham insisted that he had specifically wanted to assure the premier that he had no intention of "undermining" him or the government. However, he hinted once again that he now fears Labour may lose the by-election as a result of the contentious decision. Speaking during a phone-in on BBC Radio Manchester, the mayor also launched a strong criticism against Number 10 briefing against him, warning sternly that "anyone paid by the public purse does not get licence to lie."
By-Election Dynamics Turn Increasingly Volatile
The February 26 by-election is already showing signs of becoming a particularly bitter contest. The Green Party has vowed to weaponise the issue of Gaza during the campaign, while a recent poll suggested Reform UK has emerged as the narrow favourite to win the seat. It should be noted that constituency-level surveys are notoriously difficult to conduct accurately, and this particular sample was extremely small.
Sir Keir Starmer remains adamant that the panel of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee blocked Mr Burnham on Sunday because his candidacy would have triggered an expensive and risky election for the position of Manchester mayor. This technicality appears to have been the official rationale behind the controversial decision.
Burnham's Account of Communications Within Labour
Mr Burnham provided further details about his communications within the party hierarchy, stating: "I want this to be known as well: I spoke to senior people in the party, including the Home Secretary. We had a really great conversation." He elaborated that he specifically requested to speak with the Prime Minister because he wanted to personally assure him of the intentions he had outlined in his application letter.
"I wasn't coming in to undermine him or the Government," Burnham emphasised. "I was coming in to see if I could contribute, because some of the things I know are holding Greater Manchester back are problems at that level."
Post-Decision Conversation and Regret Over Timing
When asked about what was discussed during his eventual conversation with the Prime Minister on Monday, following the decision, Mr Burnham described it as "a fair exchange" where both parties expressed their feelings. "I was glad to have that conversation and a chance to say how I felt," he remarked.
However, he made clear his preference would have been to speak before the decision was made. "I would have preferred, obviously, to speak in advance to the decision to assure him of what I was trying to do," Burnham stated. "As I say, I think it could have created a more positive path for everybody, including the Prime Minister, including the Government."
Candidate Landscape and Campaign Issues
Matt Goodwin has been officially installed as the Reform UK candidate for the by-election, while Labour is expected to finalise their candidate decision on Saturday. The Green Party is set to unveil their contender tomorrow, with party leader Zack Polanski telling The Times that their campaign will prominently feature the issue of Gaza.
"We'll want people on the ground to know our position on Gaza, that we've stood with the Palestinian people," Polanski stated. He noted that Gorton & Denton has a substantial Muslim population, adding: "Of course, we want to speak to everyone, and it's not just people who are Muslim who care about people's freedom and people's human rights. But I imagine that will certainly be an element in the contest."
Broader Criticism of Westminster Briefing Culture
Turning his attention to the broader issue of political briefing, Mr Burnham delivered a pointed critique of what he sees as a damaging Westminster culture. "There are always in politics – I saw it around Tony Blair, I saw it around Gordon Brown, I saw it around the Conservative prime ministers from the 2010s onwards – where some people just think they can say what they like to the media," he observed.
He suggested the motivation behind such briefings is often character assassination. "And why do they do it? You're asking me; They do it to denigrate the character, impugn the integrity of elected politicians," Burnham asserted. "They did it to Wes Streeting not so long ago, and it's almost like the stock in trade of Westminster."
Call for Accountability and Duty of Candour
The Manchester mayor connected his criticism to broader principles of public service accountability, praising the Prime Minister for supporting the Hillsborough Law that he brought to Parliament. "Obviously that brings in a duty of candour on public servants," he noted.
Burnham concluded with a firm principle: "Some of these people are paid by the public purse, but in my view, anybody paid by the public purse does not get license to lie, and in the aftermath of all of this, I'm not going to be bitter, and I'm going to be out there campaigning in the by-election, but I am going to call that one thing out."
