Andy Burnham stoked the standoff with Keir Starmer today warning that Labour will lose the by-election he was blocked from fighting.
The Manchester Mayor voiced frustration after the PM led a dramatic move by the ruling national executive committee to prevent him standing.
And Sir Keir is facing a growing revolt on his own benches over preventing his rival from bidding to become an MP – a first step towards a leadership challenge.
The NEC insisted that triggering an election for the Manchester mayoralty would be an unacceptable risk and cost large sums of money.
Critics insist the premier has only delayed his demise, with backbenchers openly calling for him to consider his position and Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner ‘on manoeuvres’.
The situation could deteriorate quickly, with Mr Burnham due to speak at a think-tank event this morning and Sir Keir leaving for China in the coming days.
Andy Burnham voiced frustration after the PM led a dramatic move by the ruling national executive committee to prevent him standing
Keir Starmer watched his Arsenal team lose to Manchester United in London yesterday afternoon
Andy Burnham stoked the standoff with Sir Keir today warning that Labourwill lose the by-election he was blocked from fighting
Mr Burnham formally applied to put his name forward for the Gorton and Denton by-election on Saturday, despite apparently being told privately that the NEC would not allow it.
The contest has been triggered by the resignation of ex-MP Andrew Gwynne, who has been allowed to retire on medical grounds.
A meeting of the NEC’s most senior officers yesterday blocked Mr Burnham from going on the list. Sir Keir himself was among eight who voted against giving Mr Burnham permission, while deputy leader Lucy Powell was the sole member in favour.
Nigel Farage has vowed to throw everything at the Denton battle, with polls suggesting Reform could seize the seat. It is unclear when the by-election will happen, with speculation that Labour could even try to wait until May when a swathe of local contests are happening.
Touring broadcast studios for the government this morning, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: ‘The judgment was more about focus than factionalism.’
He added: ‘Whatever choice the national executive committee made yesterday, it was likely that there would be criticism and there would be commentary in the papers today. There were, if you like, ditches on both sides of the road.’
If the NEC had allowed Mr Burnham to stand, there would have been ‘the equivalent of 20 by-elections diverting time, energy and money to a Manchester mayoral contest’ which Labour might lose.
‘We would certainly have fought that contest hard, but there would have been some degree of risk – Reform are outspending us about 10-to-one at the moment and in the biggest and most unnecessary electoral contest in England, you can never take anything for granted.
‘That doesn’t strike me as a risk-free choice.’
Tom Baldwin, a close ally of Sir Keir who wrote his biography, posted on X last night: ‘I’ve always liked @AndyBurnhamGM but the prospect of him returning to Westminster has already added to inward-looking psychodrama that does no one any good.
‘And an unnecessary by-election for Mayor of Manchester might well have resulted in long term damage to his reputation too.’
The Denton contest has been triggered by the resignation of ex-MP Andrew Gwynne, who has been allowed to retire on medical grounds
But Mr Burnham shot back: ‘I’m not sure losing a by-election does us any good either, Tom.’
Left-wing MPs have been leading the condemnation of the NEC move, although dissent goes beyond the ‘usual suspects’.
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson told Times Radio: ‘This just plays into the level of factionalism that has been inherent in this party for too long and it has to stop.
‘And Keir Starmer now needs to consider his own position as leader of this party.’
