Andy Burnham has strongly criticized allegations that he received advance notice of being barred from running in a crucial by-election. The Mayor of Greater Manchester’s aspirations for a return to Westminster were shattered when Labour’s governing body, supported by Keir Starmer, vetoed his candidacy, sparking backlash from numerous Labour MPs.

Approximately 50 backbenchers have signed a letter protesting the decision, stating there is no valid reason for obstructing Mr. Burnham’s bid for the Gorton and Denton by-election. Anonymously sourced information close to the Prime Minister disclosed to ITV that Mr. Burnham had been informed prior to seeking permission to run that his application would be denied. Mr. Burnham refuted these claims as “completely false.”

Mr. Burnham clarified that he had engaged in discussions over the weekend with senior figures at Downing Street to assess the advantages and disadvantages of his candidacy. He emphasized that there was no definitive indication that he would be blocked, highlighting that the National Executive Committee (NEC) is expected to function independently.

A spokesperson from No10 appeared to support Mr. Burnham’s version of events, affirming that nobody from Number 10 dissuaded him from seeking NEC permission to run or prejudged the NEC officers’ decision-making process. The Prime Minister argued that allowing Mr. Burnham to stand in the by-election would lead to resource diversion by triggering another election for the Greater Manchester mayoral post.

Cabinet minister Steve Reed dismissed claims that denying Mr. Burnham the opportunity to run in the upcoming election was driven by fears of challenging Mr. Starmer’s leadership. He contended that it was reasonable for the people of Manchester to have the mayor fulfill his current term until its conclusion. When asked if this decision was related to concerns about a leadership challenge, Mr. Reed emphatically stated that it was not the case.

He reiterated that Mr. Burnham had committed to serving a four-year term, and it was logical for Manchester residents to have him continue his exceptional work until the end of his tenure. Mr. Reed emphasized that the decision was final and settled.