Keir Starmer was warned ‘there will be a bloodletting’ today after he and his allies took the extraordinary step of blocking potential leadership rival Andy Burnham from returning to Westminster.
In a move that widened Labour’s civil war, a committee that includes the Prime Minister overwhelmingly voted this morning to prevent the Greater Manchester mayor from contesting a Commons seat.
Mr Burnham, the self-styled ‘King of the North’, announced last night he wanted to quit and seek Labour’s nomination for an upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton following the resignation of disgraced former minister Andrew Gwynne.
The former health secretary has been fuelling speculation for months that he wants to come back to run against Sir Keir for the party leadership and the keys to No10.
But he needed the permission of the Starmerite-dominated NEC officers committee to step down as mayor and stand as a by-election candidate.
In a meeting that lasted just 45 minutes the committee rejected his request by eight votes to one, ostensibly over the cost of electing a new mayor to replace him.
The Prime Minister was one of those who voted against him, as was party chairwoman Anna Turley.
Only Lucy Powell, the Labour deputy leader – who is also a Manchester MP – voted in favour of him running.
The decision sparks uproar among the soft Left wing of the party. MP Karl Turner told Times Radio: ‘There’ll be a lot of bloodletting in the Parliamentary Labour Party as a result of this decision.’
Another MP, Jon Trickett said that ‘strong leaders don’t hide from talent, they make common cause, while Andrea Egan, the new general secretary of the Unison union who was expelled from Labour four years ago, said: ‘This isn’t the way any democratic organisation should be run.’
But Housing Secretary Steve Reed became the latest minister to tell Burnham to stick to local politics in Manchester, saying: ‘The mayor of Greater Manchester was elected for a four-year term. He’s halfway through that term now.’
In a move that widened Labour’s civil war, a committee that includes the Prime Minister overwhelmingly voted this morning to prevent the Greater Manchester mayor from contesting a Commons seat.
The committee is led by Sir Keir’s Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. She today told Sky News she would remain impartial, but added: ‘I don’t think the country would forgive us if we indulge in a psychodrama’
In a meeting that lasted just 45 minutes they rejected his request by eight votes to one, ostensibly over the cost of electing a new mayor to replace him. The Prime Minister was one of those who voted against him, as was party chairwoman Anna Turley.
Voters elected Andy Burnham to serve a four-year term and “don’t like” mid-term elections, Steve Reed said as he defended the decision to block the mayor’s candidacy in Gorton and Denton.
Mr Reed told the BBC: “Voters don’t like elections that come mid-term. People voted in Greater Manchester overwhelmingly for Andy Burnham to be their mayor two years ago, for a four-year term.”
He added: “In a democracy, politicians are elected to serve a term. The mayor of Greater Manchester was elected for a four-year term. He’s halfway through that term now.
“So we’re not going to go back and ask the people of Greater Manchester, over two million of them who are entitled to vote, to elect somebody else to complete the next two (years), because we can select a different candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, and we will make the case for the Labour Government.”
It also raises the prospect of Labour losing the by-election to either Reform or the Greens.
The committee is led by Sir Keir’s Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who did not vote. Before the meeting she praised him as an ‘exceptional politician but told Sky News: ‘I don’t think the country would forgive us if we indulge in a psychodrama.’
However senior figures like Ed Miliband and Sadiq Khan have backed Mr Burnham and MPs went public to warn Sir Keir and his allies to get out of the way.
An exclusive analysis commissioned by the MoS, which takes into account latest polling data, predicted that the seat could fall to the Greens.
But the study also shows that Reform would win if the Tories agreed not to stand – a forecast that will fuel calls for the parties on the Right to unite.
Analysis shows the two parties would gain 81 more seats between them if they entered a pact against the Left at the next general election.
Richard Burgon, secretary of the hard Left Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, said: ‘Keir Starmer and his clique have shown they’re prepared to lose Gorton and Denton to Reform – just to protect narrow factional interests.
MP Karl Turner told Times Radio: ‘There’ll be a lot of bloodletting in the Parliamentary Labour Party as a result of this decision.’
‘It’s weak leadership – and will only deepen the crisis the party is in. There should now be an emergency NEC meeting to resolve this mess.’
In a statement this afternoon, Labour said: ‘The NEC believes that causing an unnecessary election for the position of Greater Manchester Mayor would have a substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources ahead of the local elections and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd in May.
‘Although the Party would be confident of retaining the mayoralty, the NEC could not put Labour’s control of Greater Manchester at any risk.’
Before the announcement, Justin Madders, who was a minister until he was sacked by Sir Keir in a reshuffle last year, said: ‘The overriding consideration for the party should be who is best placed to win and represent the people of Gorton & Denton – no stitch ups, no second guessing what might happen down the line.
‘We need our best players on the pitch and the PM needs the best serving in his Government.’
However other leading figures questioned Mr Burnham’s motives for running. Lord Walney, a former Labour MP, likened the mayor and his allies to comedy character Alan Partridge with their ‘football metaphors’.
He added: ‘Andy Burnham’s supporters shouldn’t treat Labour members like idiots with this ‘don’t leave your best player on the bench’ argument about needing him to stop another Reform MP getting into parliament.
‘The only reason that risk exists is because Andy wanted a by-election now. The mayoralty of Greater Manchester is not ‘the bench’.’
Join the debate
Is blocking Burnham a bad look for Labour?
The Mail on Sunday previously revealed in December that Angela Rayner (pictured on September 25, 2024) had ‘done a deal’ to be Mr Burnham’s running mate
Mr Burnham’s backers fear that Sir Keir’s absence on a trip to China this week could embolden the NEC, which is chaired by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (pictured on November 16, 2025)
Health Secretary Wes Streeting (pictured on January 13) is regarded by Mr Burnham’s supporters as his only credible opponent in the event of a leadership contest
The Mail on Sunday understands Mr Burnham made his approach after securing the backing of more than 100 Labour MPs, which would be enough to trigger a formal challenge to the PM if he returns to Parliament.
Mr Burnham posted his letter to the NEC on social media site X at precisely 5pm last night. In it, he said it was a ‘difficult decision’ but that he had given ‘careful thought’ to the best interests of the Labour Party and of Manchester.
And despite the divisive effects his manoeuvres are likely to have, he said he wanted to run a ‘hopeful and unifying campaign’.
Mr Burnham insisted: ‘I would be there to support the work of the Government, not undermine it, and I have passed on this assurance to the Prime Minister.’
Mr Burnham’s potential route to the leadership was opened when Mr Gwynne quit as MP last week.
It came a year after The Mail on Sunday revealed the MP was part of a WhatsApp group called Trigger Me Timbers that shared vile racist, sexist and anti-Semitic jokes. No10 sacked him as Health Minister and he was suspended from the Labour Party.
The MoS revealed in December that Angela Rayner had ‘done a deal’ to be Mr Burnham’s running mate.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is regarded by Mr Burnham’s supporters as his only credible opponent in the event of a leadership contest.
