Starmer speaks out for first time since blocking Burnham by-election bid
Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to block Andy Burnham from running in a by-election next month, as anger over the move grows within Labour.
Around 20 of the party’s MPs have now spoken out publicly against the leader and his allies following yesterday’s announcement.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester had asked to throw his hat into the ring for the Garton and Denton by-election in the south-east of the city.
But his application was stopped at the first opportunity yesterday by Labour’s ruling committee the NEC, which said there were concerns over the cost of a mayoral by-election if Burnham was to step down.
As a member of the committee, Starmer himself voted to prevent the self-styled ‘King of the North’ from standing.
Speaking this morning, he said his decision was based on the need to focus attention on pivotal Scottish, Welsh and local elections coming up in May.
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The PM said: ‘Andy Burnham’s doing a great job as the mayor of Manchester, but having an election for the mayor of Manchester when it’s not necessary would divert our resources away from the elections that we must have, that we must fight and win.
‘And resources, whether that’s money or people, need to be focused on the elections that we must have, not elections that we don’t have to have. And that was the basis of the NEC decision.’
His words are unlikely to stem the fury of many Labour MPs who saw the move as a desperate act of self-preservation, owing to the widespread belief that Burnham would mount a leadership challenge if he made it to the House of Commons.
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson reposted a 2020 tweet from Starmer saying NEC ‘impositions of candidates’ should end, and added: ‘How power corrupts!
‘Nasty factionalism on full display today. Members are rightly furious: power should lie with Gorton & Denton CLP members.
‘This is as undemocratic as it gets. This is weak leadership & Starmer cannot be trusted.’
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, meanwhile, wrote: ‘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. You could have shown magnanimous leadership but instead it’s cowardice.’
Others questioned whether Starmer was resigned to losing the by-election, which resulted from the resignation of suspended Labour MP Andrew Gwynne.
Burnham is considered one of the most popular Labour politicians in the country at a time when the party is struggling in the polls.
Among the people pushing this view was Burnham himself.
Responding to Starmer biographer Tom Baldwin posting that his return would result in Westminster ‘psychodrama’, he wrote: ‘I’m not sure losing a by-election does us any good either, Tom.’
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