Labour MPs will meet Saturday amid mounting speculation that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham could seek a return to Westminster in the Gorton and Denton by-election, a move that would test the prime minister’s authority and the party’s internal discipline.
The gathering of Labour MPs from north-west England comes as senior figures weigh whether Burnham should be allowed to enter the race to succeed Andrew Gwynne, who formally resigned his Greater Manchester seat on Friday, triggering a by-election. Burnham has long been viewed within the party as a potential rival to the prime minister for the leadership.
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Angela Rayner is expected to tell colleagues she supports allowing Burnham to stand for the candidacy if he chooses to do so, according to The Times. Burnham has a narrow window to decide: as a sitting regional mayor, he must secure permission from Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) by 5 p.m. today to take part in the selection process.
Several Labour MPs warned on Friday against using party machinery to block Burnham from contesting the nomination. “Let the north decide who their Labour candidate should be for the Gorton and Denton by-election. A London stitch-up will be a disaster for Labour,” said Jo White, who chairs the Red Wall group of Labour MPs.
Connor Naismith, the MP for Crewe and Nantwich, said the constituency “deserves the best possible choice of candidates.” He added: “I agree with the prime minister that our attention should be on delivering for the public, not speculating about future leadership contests. Any decision made to limit the choice would be wrong.”
Gemma Bolton, a constituency members’ representative on Labour’s ruling committee, echoed the warning. She told the BBC’s Newsnight it would be “outrageous” to block Burnham should he opt to run and that such a move would “show a real weakness” in the party leader’s authority.
The NEC, which includes many figures loyal to the prime minister, is expected to oversee a rapid selection process next week, culminating in a hustings and formal endorsement by Saturday, Jan. 31. A by-election date has not yet been set.
Burnham, a former cabinet minister who has twice run for the Labour leadership, has built a national profile as Greater Manchester’s mayor and as a prominent advocate for devolved power in England’s regions. A decision to seek a Commons seat would instantly reshape Labour’s internal landscape and fuel speculation about succession planning, even as senior ministers insist the government’s focus remains on delivery.
Separately, key cabinet members are due to speak at the Fabian Society’s New Year conference in London on Saturday, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Manchester MP Lucy Powell. The event is expected to showcase the government’s domestic agenda as it enters a crucial year of policymaking and public spending choices.
Gorton and Denton, a newly configured seat in Greater Manchester, is considered safe Labour territory. If Burnham enters and wins the party’s nomination, the by-election would double as a test of his personal brand — and of how much room the prime minister is willing to grant a potential rival on his own benches.
For now, the decision rests with Burnham and the NEC timetable. By day’s end, Labour will know whether one of its most high-profile regional leaders intends to stage a Westminster return.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
