A civil war has erupted within the Labour Party following the news that Andy Burnham has been barred from standing as an MP.
Eight out of ten members of the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC), including Sir Keir Starmer, voted against the Mayor of Greater Manchester running for the seat vacated by outgoing MP Andrew Gwynne.
Former Cabinet minister Louise Haigh said the decision was “incredibly disappointing” and called for the NEC to “change course and make the right decision”.
One Labour backbencher described the move as “a total sh**show” and “utter nonsense”, believing the party would now lose the Gorton and Denton by-election.
Labour MP Richard Burgon called for an “emergency NEC meeting”, accusing the party leadership of being prepared to lose a by-election to protect “factional interests”.
Mr Burgon, who is secretary of the 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.
“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.”
Campaign group Momentum said: “The Labour Leadership’s decision to block Andy Burnham from standing as a candidate in Gorton and Denton is a catastrophic example of the nasty factionalism typical of Starmer’s leadership.
Sir Keir voted against Mr Burnham for him to stand as an MP
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PA“Local members have been denied the chance to vote for the best-placed candidate to defeat Reform, showing again that control-freakery at the top of the party is destroying our chances of winning.
“Nonetheless, this is clearly the beginning of the end for Starmer’s Government. Plummeting approval ratings and its refusal to back the bold, popular policies our communities need mean its days are numbered.
“It is increasingly likely there will be a leadership election in the near future: it is essential that socialists and progressives stay in, join or rejoin Labour to have a say in that contest.”
Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, said: “In the most unsurprising turn of events, some Labour right apparatchiks care more about settling personal scores than winning elections after all.
Campaign group Momentum described it as the ‘beginning of the end of Keir Starmer’
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GETTY“Even if it means risking gifting Reform another seat in Parliament.
“They’re destroying the only electoral vehicle currently capable of stopping a proto-fascist Government in 2029. Faction before party before country.”
Some Labour MPs have backed the decision, urging their party to stop infighting and move on to winning the by-election.
Phil Brickell, who represents Bolton West, said speculation about Mr Burnham’s candidacy in recent days had “seen the Labour Party quickly turn inward… undermining the PM’s efforts at home and abroad”.
Nadia Whittome criticised the move made by the NEC
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GETTYRugby 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”.
More to follow…