Andy Burnham blocked from re-entering parliament.

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What are the grounds for them stopping Burnham standing for Parliament ?When Rachel Reeves and Angela Raynor can stand and there have. been financial rules they avoided didn't they Not that I'd ever vote for Burnham anyway

This is only the start of the campaign. It is like watching a game of chess played by two Grand masters - boring.

It's LP rules. The NEC decides whether or not someone can stand as a Labour candidate in a constituency.

Starmer and McSweeny don't want anyone who is likely to challenge for the leadership and who has more socialist beliefs than the LP is currently pursuing.

I think there will be a challenge, anyway, after Labour do really badly in the council elections, But it will probably be Sweeting, who is in hoc to private health companies and who is no more 'left' than the current leadership.

I think this could be the death of the Labour Party.

I think the by-election will be fought out between the Greens and Reform.

Rayner might be a bit of a dark horse in all this...

Can’t say I’m surprised: he bends in the wind, always has.

I'm not a Labour party supporter (or a supporter of any political party) but I'm sorry to hear this, it makes them appear in a very bad light.
I don't see how Starmer can survive until the next election, and even if he does could will irrevocably weaken the party. Surely Andy Burnham is a better choice than Rayner or anyone else who has shown to have behaved unethically over recent months?

I’m not surprised either, but then little surprises me about politics these days.

Sorry, mistyped "and even if he does it could irrevocably weaken the party"

One good thing about this decision, though, is that if Andy Burnham remains as mayor, there is less chance of Reform winning the mayoralty, when the next vote comes around.
I would hate to see a Reform mayor here.

A few facts:

A sub-group of the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC), effectively the ruling leadership group of the party, met on 25 January 2026 to decide whether Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham could be allowed to seek Labour’s nomination as a candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

As a directly elected mayor, Burnham was required under party rules to seek NEC permission before being put forward as a parliamentary candidate, hence the vote took place before any member ballot or local selection process. The committee voted 8 to 1 against allowing him to proceed.

The main formal justification emphasised in official statements was:
Avoiding an “unnecessary mayoral election” in Greater Manchester if Burnham were elected MP, which would trigger a separate vote to replace him as mayor. The NEC said such an election would use substantial amounts of public money and party resources at a time when the party wants to focus on the cost-of-living crisis and campaigning in upcoming local, Scottish and Welsh elections. They argued that even if Labour would be confident of holding the mayoralty, risking control of Greater Manchester was not in the party’s best interests.

This was the official, public line given by the party when announcing the NEC’s decision.

The disruption to Greater Manchester and the risk of Reform winning the Mayoral election seem to be the main reasons cited. I do think it is important to look at the bigger picture. Given the mess that Reform is making in Local and County Councils I would think the citizens of Manchester have got lucky. Plus the fact that the last thing the Government needs is for media and social media to ignore serious national and international issues in favour of toxic gossip about leadership campaigns.

Mamie

The disruption to Greater Manchester and the risk of Reform winning the Mayoral election seem to be the main reasons cited. I do think it is important to look at the bigger picture. Given the mess that Reform is making in Local and County Councils I would think the citizens of Manchester have got lucky. Plus the fact that the last thing the Government needs is for media and social media to ignore serious national and international issues in favour of toxic gossip about leadership campaigns.

I agree.

It probably isnt in Starmers interest for Burnham to be an MP, and they will use every device to stop him.

It is not in Starmer’s interest because Burnham is a popular grass roots Labour politician whose values strike a chord with those now feeling disaffected by the Labour party.

Fallingstar

It is not in Starmer’s interest because Burnham is a popular grass roots Labour politician whose values strike a chord with those now feeling disaffected by the Labour party.

And a very large number of former Labour members and Labour voters feel disaffected.

Reform seems to be losing a bit of its attraction at the moment, but it could well revive and The Greens are attracting a great deal of interest. I think that most of the 'disaffected' will go leftwards.

Quote Fallingstar Sun 25-Jan-26 15:29:41
It is not in Starmer’s interest because Burnham is a popular grass roots Labour politician whose values strike a chord with those now feeling disaffected by the Labour party.

If a popular grassroots Labour politician why did he lose to Corbyn in labour leadership?

Just not the right time for Andy Burnham to be a distraction within the Labour Party I feel.

If he wants to return as an MP I’m sure he will be allowed in nearer the next General Election, though Manchester will be sad to see him go.

I like AB and he has been done a favour.
He would have lost at Gorton and really been out in the cold.

Also,who in their right mind would want to be leader of Labour at this moment of time.

Keep steady with what you have Mr.Burnham and try to keep Reform out of Manchester.

IMHO, it comes down to Burnham's pragmatism and grass-roots connection to the people versus the PM's mix of lack of any charisma and outright peevishness towards Burnham.

Reform have been pretty much handed this seat.

The big elephant in the room for Labour seems to be their perceived will and inability to tackle immigration issues,
I can see Right wing removal tactics coming to a city near you soon.
Monkey see, monkey do.

Reform still have a sizeable following but will be losing some of their fans who may be watching what is happening over the pond and feeling a bit uneasy about what could happen here. Controlling immigration is one thing but controlling ordinary citizens by taking away their rights is very much another.
The greens are gaining in popularity by offering what Labour seems to have forgot.
Tbh the left could be due a resurgence which would be a real surprise for everyone expecting the far right to gain ground.

Anniebach

Quote Fallingstar Sun 25-Jan-26 15:29:41
It is not in Starmer’s interest because Burnham is a popular grass roots Labour politician whose values strike a chord with those now feeling disaffected by the Labour party.

If a popular grassroots Labour politician why did he lose to Corbyn in labour leadership?

Who knows?
Corbyn had a hard core of younger voters who voted for him in a way they haven’t voted for anyone before or since.
In any case there is no act of limitations here, losing once doesn’t mean a person can’t run again.

It’s being said that this is Starmer’s biggest mistake yet!

Fallingstar

Anniebach

Quote Fallingstar Sun 25-Jan-26 15:29:41
It is not in Starmer’s interest because Burnham is a popular grass roots Labour politician whose values strike a chord with those now feeling disaffected by the Labour party.

If a popular grassroots Labour politician why did he lose to Corbyn in labour leadership?

Who knows?
Corbyn had a hard core of younger voters who voted for him in a way they haven’t voted for anyone before or since.
In any case there is no act of limitations here, losing once doesn’t mean a person can’t run again.

The young who did manage to get up to vote voted because he promised them everything on a plate. They were also hyped up at Glasto when they were all stoned and wailing “ooh Jeremy Corbyn”. 🤣