The Labour party has been plunged into a bitter civil war following a dramatic intervention by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's closest allies, who have blocked metro mayor Andy Burnham from standing in a forthcoming parliamentary by-election.
NEC Vote Sparks Internal Conflict
On Sunday, Labour's National Executive Committee delivered an eight to one ruling against Burnham, preventing the Greater Manchester mayor from making the candidate shortlist for the Gorton and Denton constituency race. Sir Keir Starmer, who sits on the committee, personally voted to block his party colleague's political ambitions.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who chairs the Labour Party's NEC, notably abstained from the crucial vote, highlighting the divisive nature of the decision within the party's highest echelons.
Growing Rifts Exposed
The move has torn open already significant divides within the Labour party as Prime Minister Starmer battles record low approval ratings and faces criticism over numerous policy U-turns. Burnham had previously secured support from deputy leader Lucy Powell, with reports suggesting former deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner would also back the self-styled 'King of the North.'
John McDonnell, who served as shadow Chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, condemned the decision as "disgusting" and issued a stark warning to the Prime Minister. "Message to Keir: Do not underestimate the depth of anger people will feel about this disgusting decision. If you think it strengthens you I tell you it will simply hasten your demise," he declared.
Leadership Under Fire
Rosie Duffield, who left the Labour party in 2024 to become an Independent MP, said the blocking of Burnham "highlights how loathed and weak Sir Keir is." The Conservative party's shadow home secretary Chris Philip seized the opportunity to criticise Starmer, claiming the Prime Minister was "so weak and scared he won't even allow Andy Burnham to run for parliament."
Philip added: "Starmer is scared Burnham would replace him, so has used his control of the NEC to block him. To be fair, Burnham could hardly be worse."
Official Justification and Mixed Reactions
Labour's ruling committee framed their decision around avoiding "an unnecessary by-election" for the Greater Manchester mayoralty, which they claimed would have a "substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources."
However, not all Labour figures condemned the move. John Slinger, part of Labour's 2024 general election intake, described it as a "quick and clear decision" that would allow the party to "move on from the damaging introspection and psychodrama of the last week."
"We need to pull together behind whoever is selected in the by-election. As a united team we can beat Reform and then focus on vital elections in May," Slinger argued.
Financial Market Implications
The controversial decision may ease some pressure from bond markets, which had modestly edged up earlier in the week amid speculation about Burnham's potential return to government. The mayor had previously criticised the UK's political system, stating the country was "in a low growth doom loop" and that "our shallow, adversarial political system has shown itself incapable of lifting us out of it."
Burnham had advocated for what he termed "business-friendly socialism" while calling for greater public ownership across sectors including water and rail. This had raised concerns among financial observers that a Burnham-led government might place less emphasis on fiscal rules that currently maintain stability in bond markets.
The blocking of Burnham's parliamentary ambitions represents a significant escalation in Labour's internal conflicts, exposing deep ideological and personal divisions that threaten to undermine the party's unity as it faces crucial electoral challenges in the coming months.
