Andy Burnham latest: Mayor ‘disappointed’ after bid to return as Labour MP in by-election is blocked

Sir Keir Starmer personally led the calls to block Andy Burnham’s path back to Westminster, according to reports.

A source within the NEC told the Daily Express: “Keir was there and led from the front. He took up the mantel and even the most sceptical about Keir were very impressed.

“The Prime Minister argued that we couldn’t risk a by-election in Greater Manchester [for mayor], and that the psychodrama from the last 48 hours had not been helpful.”

It would not be the first time that the mayor of a big city went on to become head of their country’s government, though it’s unusual. Three US presidents have done so (Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland, Calvin Coolidge), and in Europe there are the highly notable examples of Chancellor Willy Brandt (graduating from West Berlin), and Jacques Chirac (Paris). Here, of course, we saw Boris Johnson perfecting his populist skills in London before, in due course, graduating to the premiership. The question for 2026 is whether Andy Burnham can make a similar journey from his mayoral HQ at the Tootal Building in Manchester to 10 Downing Street. The upcoming by-election in the usually safe Labour seat of Gorton, well inside Burnham’s northern fiefdom, opens up at least the possibility that Burnham might repeat Johnson’s feat.

Burnham, a minister in the Blair and Brown governments who has been reborn as the mayor of Greater Manchester, has already been almost prime minister, you know. He may presently be the “King of the North”, enjoying marginally better ratings that the party nationally, but he could now be trying, for the third time, for an even more exalted position – leader of the Labour Party, and with it, the premiership. It was a laughable proposition for almost the whole of Sir Keir Starmer’s period of previously unassailable dominance, but suddenly, before last autumn’s party conference, in a panicky mood, the Labour Party seemed to have caught what might be termed “the Tory disease” – the delusion that a change of leader can solve all its problems, coupled with an addiction to plotting. Burnham, away from Westminster for most of the past decade, seemed to be the nearest thing they have to a fresh start.

A Labour source has said Andy Burnham’s claim that the media was told of the NEC’s decision before him is “categorically untrue”.

The Manchester mayor posted on X earlier: “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. You would think that over 30 years of service would count for something but sadly not.”

But a Labour source told Sky News this was “categorically untrue”.

Beth Rigby posted on X: “Am told the party attempted to contact Andy shortly after the meeting had concluded over the phone and then contacted him via email. Am told the party categorically did not brief the media until Andy and the full NEC had been informed of the decision.”

Andy Burnham has hit back at those backing the blocking of his path back to Westminster.

Journalist Tom Baldwin, a former Labour adviser, posted on X on Sunday evening: “I’ve always liked @AndyBurnhamGM but the prospect of him returning to Westminster has already added to inward-looking psychodrama that does no one any good. And an unnecessary by-election for Mayor of Manchester might well have resulted in long term damage to his reputation too.”

The Manchester mayor replied in the comments: “I’m not sure losing a by-election does us any good either, Tom.”

Andrea Egan, the newly-elected general secretary of Britain’s largest trade union Unison, said: “I know many, many trade unionists will be so disappointed and angry at local members not being given a say over who their candidate should be.

“This isn’t the way any democratic organisation should be run. Now’s the time to unite our movement, not divide it.”

The TSSA union accused the NEC of blocking Mr Burnham for “factional reasons”, adding: “Labour has lost its way and must change its path to survive.”

But Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas said her union accepted the decision and the conclusion that Mr Burnham’s candidacy would mean “major disruption”.

Some Labour MPs have come out in favour of the NEC’s decision, urging the party to avoid infighting and move on to winning the by-election.

Phil Brickell, who represents the Greater Manchester constituency of Bolton West, said speculation about Andy Burnham’s candidacy in recent days had “seen the Labour Party quickly turn inward… undermining the PM’s efforts at home and abroad”.

Rugby MP John Slinger said the “quick and clear decision” meant the party could “move on from the damaging, introspection and psychodrama of the last week” and “pull together” behind the eventual candidate.

Keir Starmer faced a simple choice: either suffer the temporary embarrassment of blocking a rival, or paralyse the government by allowing Andy Burnham to be the focus of persistent leadership speculation.

The prime minister chose the first option, because that is in the best interests of the country, the Labour Party – and himself. Politicians can be ruthless, hypocritical and self-interested, but sometimes they can also be right.

It doesn’t look brave or democratic or comradely to refuse Burnham permission to be the Labour candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, but there was never any question of letting him stand.