The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has blocked Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The reported 8–1 decision by the NEC’s senior officers was taken under a 2025 rule change requiring combined authority mayors to seek NEC approval before standing for Parliament.[1] Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a former cabinet minister, would have been required to resign his mayoralty in order to return to Westminster.
Why the NEC blocked Burnham
There are a number of purported reasons for the NEC decision to block Burnham from standing. They are not distinct from one another and demonstrate the interplay of competing interest at the heart of the Labour Party. The possible reasons include:
- Andy Burnham has long been perceived as a potential leadership challenger to Sir Keir Starmer MP,[2] but would only be able to challenge him if he was a sitting MP.
- To fight a by-election and devolved mayoral election concurrently, and just before the May local elections in England and Scottish and Welsh Parliament elections, would involve considerable expenditure and distraction the Labour Party could do without.
- The role of Mayor of Greater Manchester is one of the most public and influential devolved roles, and Keir Starmer argued that ‘Andy Burnham’s doing a great job as the mayor of Manchester’,[3] and to hold an election now is unnecessary. This is compounded by the fact that if the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill passes, the Manchester mayoralty will return to an STV voting system. This system would give Labour a greater chance of avoiding a damaging vote split with the Green party.
- Finaly, Labour is not guaranteed to win either the Gorton and Denton by-election nor the Mayoralty, and the possibility of losing both could be considered an unnecessary risk.
Supporters of the decision argue the NEC was performing its core function of protecting the collective interests of the party rather than facilitating individual career moves.[4]
Burnham’s response and wider reaction
Burnham insisted he had considered the party’s interests, telling the NEC that, if successful in the parliamentary contest, he would ‘give my all’[5] to the subsequent mayoral by-election. However, his response, including a remark suggesting that losing an MP by-election might not benefit Labour either,[6] was seen by some as reinforcing concerns about timing and motivation.
Critics argue the decision fuels perceptions that the NEC is being used as an instrument of political management, not simply rule-keeping.[7] While the NEC acted within its formal powers, questions remain about legitimacy, optics and internal trust.
Power, leadership and the NEC elections ahead
The decision comes prior to NEC elections in 2026, with Momentum and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy already backing a slate under the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance.[8] Candidate submissions close on 27 March, with nominations finalised by 26 June.
Starmer currently commands a majority among the NEC’s officers, a small but powerful group of ten members who make key decisions (including the one to block Mr Burnham) between full committee meetings.[9] As one Labour veteran put it, losing control of the NEC would be as consequential as losing control of the Cabinet.[10]
Burnham, who has twice unsuccessfully stood for Labour leader and has not ruled out a future challenge, remains a prominent figure. But for now he is not eligible, and Labour’s NEC were not willing to run such a high-risk strategy.
With local, Scottish and Welsh elections looming in May 2026, the balance of power inside Labour, and the authority of Sir Keir Starmer, is set to face its next major test.
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[1] Mishcon de Reya, Understanding the Labour Party’s governance: The NEC’s role and rules on elected mayors seeking a return to Parliament, 27 January 2026, link
[2] BBC, MP offers seat to Burnham for Starmer challenge, 19 November 2026, link
[3] BBC, Starmer defends blocking Andy Burnham from by-election run after backlash, 26 January 2026, link
[4] New Statesman, Labour was right to block Andy Burnham, 27 January 2026, link
[5] The Guardian, ‘The best interests of our party’: Andy Burnham’s letter to Labour NEC in full, 24 January 2026, link
[6] X, Andy Burnham MP, 25 January 2026, link
[7] The Conversation, Labour blocks Andy Burnham from standing for parliament: how it happened and why, 26 January 2026, link
[8] Labour List, Centre Left Grassroots Alliance announce recommendations for NEC election, 28 January 2026, link
[9] Labour List, Gorton and Denton: Who will make decision over Andy Burnham’s candidacy?, 24 January 2026, link
[10] The Telegraph, The ruthless Labour machine that helped Starmer block Burnham, 26 January 2026, link
