Labour Leader Outlines Future Path for Burnham After Blocking Immediate Return
Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that Andy Burnham is welcome to pursue a return to the House of Commons, but not until his current term as Mayor of Greater Manchester concludes in May 2028. This clarification comes just days after the Prime Minister personally intervened to prevent Burnham from standing as a Labour candidate in the imminent Gorton and Denton by-election.
NEC Vote Rejects By-Election Candidacy
The decision to bar Burnham from the forthcoming contest was formalised by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), with members voting eight to one against his application. In an official statement, Labour explained the move was intended to avoid triggering "an unnecessary election" to find a successor for the mayoral role. However, this rationale has failed to quell significant discontent within parliamentary ranks.
Dozens of Labour MPs have publicly criticised the leadership's decision, with some warning it could lead to internal "bloodletting" and even hasten pressure on Sir Keir's own position in Number 10. The party now faces a formidable challenge to retain the Gorton and Denton seat, a traditional Labour stronghold, amid a dramatic slump in national polling figures.
Starmer Defends Decision Amid Reform UK Threat
Speaking to reporters en route to China for a significant diplomatic visit, the Prime Minister framed the upcoming by-election as a direct battle between Labour and Nigel Farage's Reform UK. He insisted Labour remained the only party capable of preventing Reform from gaining another MP, describing their candidate's approach as a politics of "toxic division."
"There's only one party that can stop Reform and that's the Labour Party," Starmer asserted. "And we can already see what the by-election's going to be about, which is Labour values... versus Reform." He pointed to the party's record on cost-of-living issues within the constituency as a key battleground.
Future Westminster Prospects Post-2028
When pressed on whether he would welcome Burnham back to Parliament after his mayoral duties end, Starmer was unequivocal in leaving the choice to the mayor himself. "That's a matter for Andy," he stated, while offering warm personal praise for his former colleague. The Labour leader recounted their professional history, noting his first parliamentary role was working for Burnham in 2015 and that he supported his leadership campaign.
Starmer commended Burnham's performance both as a former MP and as an "excellent" mayor. This endorsement leaves the door open for a potential return via the next general election, due by January 2029, or even an earlier by-election in 2028 should a vacancy arise.
Internal Tensions and Selection Process
The controversy unfolds as Labour begins its candidate selection process for the critical by-election. Meanwhile, reports have emerged of further internal disquiet, with Sir Keir's former deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, reportedly telling a private fundraising dinner last week that she was "not dead yet" and urging the party leadership to "do better." These remarks underscore the ongoing tensions within Labour as it navigates a challenging political landscape and a significant by-election test.
