Andy Burnham blocked from re-entering parliament.

Maybee70 14.51. I'm also interested to see letters from the public in the various newspapers - here are some from the Guardian:

This is a sorry day for the Labour party. The decision to block Andy Burnham’s return to parliament (Report, 25 January) shows that the so-called “allies of Starmer” who dominate the national executive committee are more interested in keeping their tribe in power than in welcoming back one of Manchester’s finest former MPs. Expect to see a huge exodus of Labour party members, especially from Greater Manchester, including me.
Susan Treagus
Manchester

I know it is a bit early, but after the decision not to allow Andy Burnham to stand as an MP, can I suggest that, based on his recent performance, it is now the time for Michael Carrick to be considered?
Barry Coomber
Pinner, London

Little relief for Keir Starmer at football on Sunday – his table-topping Arsenal lost to Manchester United. A warning sign?
Stephen Pound
London

Is now the time to go out and buy a lettuce to see if it can outlast the prime minister?
Mike Lowcock
Sandbach, Cheshire

Yes isn't he? Maizie Do these people who support Reform really know who they might be voting into government? I don't think they do, which is very worrying.

Goodwin is a bit of a right wing nightmare. An academic gone rogue. But a good choice for Reform...

In my OP to the other Burnham thread, which was posted last Thursday, I said that 'apparently the NEC were going to block his application' (if he applied)

This came from a post on Bluesky, which I didn't save, by someone (I forget who) who said that all the NEC members he'd spoken to had said that Burnhams application would be refused. The decision was made long before Sunday when the NEC meeting was held. Burnham must have known it was highly likely.

Nothing about Burnham having already been told.

Reform seem to have selected a good candidate ( if you’re a Reform thinker ).
The Burnham debacle is set to run isn’t it.
I haven’t lost my admiration for lots of Keir Starmer’s continuing contributions to our lives. I’m still unhappy about the way Burnham was blocked

"Goodwin has previously argued that being born and brought up in the UK was not enough to make someone British, and it takes “more than a piece of paper”. Times

Just an aside, this is what Reform's potential candidate has said. Worrying isn't it? So what tests would Goodwin have? Religion? Colour of skin? An interest in cricket or Morris dancing? I don't have to have anything other than my birth certificate so what would Goodwin like me to provide if he was in a party in government? These are the people in Reform, does anyone really want someone like him in our parliament?

His version of events is that nobody directly told him in advance that he would be blocked. I’m sure that’s true, because how could they, before the NEC Executive made the decision? Is there a case to answer?

Starmer's allies do have history of this but I make no assumptions as such, apart from the following factual observations:
1) Burnham has challenged Starmer's allies version of events, 2) Peston's second source confirms Burnham's version of events
3) Starmer and No 10 have so far, to my knowledge, ( the story is 4 hours plus old) not given an account one way or another to clarify.

On the balance of probability, in my view, Burnham would not be so silly as to ask permission from the NEC if he had in fact been told in no certain terms it would in fact be denied.

I hope the truth emerges from Starmer himself without too much further delay.

Here is the actual story on ITV News.
www.itv.com/news/2026-01-27/andy-burnham-says-it-is-simply-untrue-that-he-knew-he-would-be-blocked
What it seems to boil down to is that nobody directly said in adavance to Burnham that if he applied he would be blocked. As the NEC Executive made the decision subsequently, that is logical, surely? What we can’t know is how big the hints were, and whether he heard them clearly..

The truth is not out until it’s out LemonJam. By the sounds of it there is something there, but you are making assumptions until you know the facts.

His allies have history. Starmer was challenged last November in PMQ, after some of his "allies" told numerous media outlets he could face a leadership challenge from another cabinet minister such as Wes Streeting. Starmer insisted in PMQ he had never authorised attacks on cabinet ministers, calling briefings against them "unacceptable. Streeting stood up for himself well then as Burnham is seeking to do now.

Starmer won't be at PMQs tomorrow.

Or on Burnham. No doubt the truth will out, whatever it is. Robert Peston does generally have good sources though.

Labour civil war continues. ITV’s political editor, Robert Peston posted on X, saying sources “close to the PM” saw Burnham’s move to stand as an explicit attempt to destabilise Starmer. That unnamed Keir Starmer allies stated that Burnham had been told “in no uncertain terms” that any request to the NEC committee to put his name forward for the byelection “would be refused”.

Burnham reacted and wrote: “This is simply untrue.”
Peston then sent a follow-up X message saying a second source had backed up Burnham’s version of events, adding that Burnham was “seeking an urgent call with No 10 about the briefing”.

Is this a No 10 Burnham stitch up? If so this will back fire badly on Starmer and the government.

That is a good choice for Reform. Very plausible.
Labour better come up with someone equal to him.

Farage does talk some piffle doesn’t he! How does he think a by election result will ‘get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country’ , exactly? Dream on.

Three very interesting letters MayBee. Thank you for sharing them.

Here we go- GB News presenter and former academic Matt Goodwin named as Reform UK's candidate in Gorton and Denton. Reform UK has announced that Matt Goodwin, the campaigner and former academic, as its candidate in Gorton and Denton. In a news release, Reform said:

Matt is a leading writer, broadcaster and academic. He was made by Manchester - which he calls ‘the greatest city in the world’. He lived in the city for many years and considers it home. Matt’s family is from Manchester. His grandfather worked full time in a Manchester steel factory. His grandmother worked for the University of Salford, which Matt later attended.

Both his parents worked for the NHS in Manchester - his father ran the Greater Manchester Health Authority and his mother went to college in the city before working for the health board.
Matt was the first person in his family to go to university - he went to the University of Salford. He worked throughout his degree, even delivering fast food in the Gorton and Denton area. As an academic, Goodwin made his name studying rightwing populism and, with Rob Ford, now a politics professor, he published an acclaimed book about Ukip in 2014, Revolt on the Right.

But over time Goodwin moved from being a student of national populism to being an advocate for it, and now he is a commentator and GB News presenter.

Commenting on his selection as a candidate, Goodwin said:

This byelection is a referendum on Keir Starmer. It is a chance for the people of Gorton and Denton to have their say on Keir Starmer and make history. I will stand up for the local people of Gorton and Denton against the broken Westminster establishment. I will demand Britain fixes its borders, invests in our National Health Service, and clamps down on crime and antisocial behaviour.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said the byelection would give voters a chance “to get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country”.

Ah, the love of a dastardly plot baddies and goodies narrative.
Never as simple in RL.

(Yes Burnham should have been told, of course).

Yes as things stand I hope he will be our PM, in the future, I'm a member of Mainstream the left-of-centre-lot.

But tbh I don't think the timing is right. We need him as a strong Major along with the other Labour Northern Mayors, like local to me, Oliver Coppard.

Boz

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.

Well said,

Other MPs step back for health and personal reasons thereby not serving at all. Burnham does not want to give up serving a constituency in a public role and remains committed to serving as a Labour member.

All those in public representatives/ appointments commit to serve in their role for the given term- Local Councillors 4 years, MPs up to 5 years, Mayors 4 years etc. There is an expectation and hope they will serve their full term but there is no obligation, legal or otherwise to do so. They can resign, die, defect to another party etc.

Burnham made a request to serve as a Labour MP mid term of his third 4 year term as a Labour mayor because an opportunity to try and get elected in a local by election arose. He would still be representing the Labour Party and a local constituency if successfully elected.

Ambition as the MP’s who defected to Reform

He made a commitment to the people of Manchester. He should honour it imo.

I suppose the result in the by election might have some influence on Starmer's future policy and political decisions.
if Reform take the seat that could encourage him to continue to follow their lead with the emphasis on small boat crossings above all else.
If the Greens take the seat or come a close second them perhaps Labour might try a few more leftish policies to try and reduce poverty by a more redistributive method, or have a look at renationalising our failing water system.

I also agree with Lemonjam about Andy Burnham, why shouldn't he have ambition. I think he was taken by surprise by the retirement of the sitting MP, he didn't expect it to happen quite so quickly, and had a decision to make.
Starmer should also have made sure that he gave him the news himself before it was leaked to the media.

Burnham didn't stage a coup, what nonsense. He asked the NEC permission to stand as an MP in a by election. After 10 years serving successfully as Mayor he would like to take the by-election risk ( success not a foregone conclusion) with the aim, at some stage, of returning to Westminster to serve in Government. Would he like to throw his hat in the ring for PM post at some stage- yes along with others. This happens in every party.

Burnham is entitled to steer his career in this way and by election opportunities close to home don't frequently arise . I don't understand why some feel he has yet been treacherous by making such a request. He also deserved the courtesy of being told the NEC decision before finding out from the media- that's not the way the NEC should be treating a successful Labour Mayor and not a good look.