More than 50 Labour MPs have called for a review of the decision to prevent Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from contesting the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election.
The call is contained in a signed letter opposing the move to block Burnham from standing as the party’s candidate.
In the letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the MPs said polling showed Burnham was Labour’s “very best chance at winning” the seat and warned that the decision could benefit Reform UK.
The signatories urged Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to reconsider its decision, arguing there was “no legitimate reason” to prevent Burnham from standing.
They said the move had triggered widespread anger and anxiety among MPs in the Parliamentary Labour Party and among party members across the country.
Read also the related story on New Daily Prime: Labour blocks Burnham from Gorton by-election
The letter was addressed to Sir Keir Starmer, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in her capacity as chair of the NEC, and Labour Party general secretary Hollie Ridley.
Earlier, Sir Keir defended the decision, arguing that Burnham’s candidacy would divert Labour’s attention and resources away from other key elections.
“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,” he said, adding that this was the basis of the NEC’s decision.
Meanwhile, speaking on BBC Newsnight, former Labour cabinet minister Harriet Harman urged parliamentary colleagues to move on from the dispute and focus on winning the by-election.
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