Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has been making headlines once again as he attended the launch of The Labour Party’s 2024 general election manifesto in Manchester, England. However, this time it was not for his inspiring leadership or progressive policies, but for the controversy surrounding his bid to return to parliament.
On Saturday, Burnham announced his intention to run for the Gorton and Denton by-election, after the previous MP Andrew Gwynne stepped down. As a directly elected mayor, Burnham needed approval from the National Executive Committee (NEC) to be considered as a Labour candidate. However, to the surprise and disappointment of many, the NEC voted against allowing him to run, with only one member voting in his favor and another abstaining.
This decision has caused an uproar among Labour MPs, who are furious at the party’s ruling body for blocking Burnham’s bid. Many see this as a cowardly move, with one MP stating, “What a fucking cowardly bunch of nonsense.” They believe that the NEC would rather lose the by-election than have someone like Burnham, who stands a good chance of winning, in Westminster.
It is no secret that Burnham is often seen as a challenger to Keir Starmer, the current leader of the Labour Party. His presence in parliament could potentially destabilize the prime minister’s government, and this is something that Starmer’s allies feared. However, this should not be a reason to block Burnham’s bid, as it goes against the principles of democracy and the Labour Party’s values.
The party has issued a statement justifying their decision, claiming that allowing Burnham to run would trigger an “unnecessary election for the position of Greater Manchester mayor.” They also stated that this would have a substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources, with local elections and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd coming up in May. However, this reasoning has been met with skepticism and criticism from Labour MPs.
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, took to Twitter to express his anger, stating, “Message to Keir: Do not underestimate the depth of anger people will feel about this disgusting decision.” He also warned that this decision could hasten Starmer’s demise as leader. MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, Jon Trickett, also criticized the decision, saying, “Strong leaders don’t hide from talent, they make common cause.”
Neil Duncan-Jordan, MP for Poole, also expressed his disappointment, stating, “The strength of the labour movement lies in its pluralist broad church. The authoritarian factionalism of the labour right is tearing us apart.” He added that this decision puts control before country and that those who orchestrated it are happy to destroy the Labour Party because of their deep-seated factionalism.
Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, also weighed in, stating, “Keir Starmer and his clique have shown they’re prepared to lose Gorton and Denton to Reform – just to protect narrow factional interests.” He called this weak leadership and urged for an emergency NEC meeting to resolve the situation.
However, there are some who believe that the NEC’s decision was the right move. MP for Rugby, John Slinger, stated, “The quick and clear decision of Labour’s NEC means we can move on from the damaging, introspection & psychodrama of the last week.” He also urged for unity within the party to beat Reform in the upcoming by-election.
A senior Labour source also defended the decision, stating that it was inevitable and the right move. Meanwhile, former Labour home secretary Charles Clarke told Times Radio that the decision was not about blocking Burnham but about whether a directly elected mayor should be allowed to leave their post with another two or three years left in their term.
Despite the criticism and controversy surrounding the decision, it is important to remember that the Labour Party is a democratic and inclusive party. The blocking of Burnham’s bid goes against these values and only serves to further divide the party. It is time for the party to come together and focus on the upcoming by-election and other important elections in May.
In the end, it is up to the people of Gorton and Denton to decide who will represent them in parliament. But it is clear that the decision to block Burnham’s bid has split opinion within the Labour Party. It is now up to the party to show true leadership and
