Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to block Andy Burnham from returning to Westminster has sparked fury among Labour members, prompting fears it will derail the party’s chances in the local elections.
Labour MPs have described the mood among the party grassroots as “febrile” in the wake of the decision to prevent Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, with some members quitting the party in protest.
It has left MPs concerned that the resignations and general anger among activists will further weaken Labour’s chances ahead of what are already expected to be a challenging set of local elections.
Backbenchers have also warned that the Prime Minister will come under even greater pressure should the party lose the by-election, which is scheduled to take place on 26 February.
The Labour leadership blocked Burnham’s bid to stand, citing the £5m cost associated with fighting both the Gorton by-election and the separate Greater Manchester Mayoralty.
‘Keir is weakened by this’
A senior Labour MP told The i Paper: “The PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] are pissed because the membership is angry and we need the members to work very hard to retain a fig leaf of dignity at the local elections.
“The membership is very febrile. I’ve had resignations over it – active members too.
“There was a logical argument that we can’t afford it [a mayoral by-election as well as the Gorton one], but Keir has come out weakened from all this.”
Another senior Labour Party source said that the membership was unhappy and there have been resignations. “I don’t have any numbers, but it has definitely tipped people over the edge,” the insider added.
Burnham refused to engage with the decision to block him during a panel event on Monday morning, but urged MPs to campaign at the forthcoming by-election.
“We’ve got a by-election about to happen. We need your help. The Greater Manchester way is built on togetherness,” he told an audience in central London.
Labour MPs warned that having blocked Burnham, Starmer would now own the result of the Gorton and Denton by-election if the party loses.
A Labour MP said: “It’s sad when families don’t get along.
“I don’t think the weekend has changed much – there are those that were unhappy and they are still unhappy.
“I suspect most of the PLP will back the decision. The problem will come when we lose the by-election.”
It is understood more than 50 backbench MPs have now signed a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, criticising this decision to block Burnham. It is believed to be one of two letters being passed around backbenchers.
‘Huge risk to PM’ if Labour lose
The MP predicted Labour would finish third at best with the Greens and Reform UK fighting it out to win. “We’re not even going to come second let alone win it,” they said.
Another Labour MP thought the party had a much better chance of winning but agreed that Starmer would be in trouble if not.
They said there was now a “huge risk for the PM if we were to lose this election”.
On Burnham being blocked, they said: “There’s probably not one Labour Party organiser or party civil servant who is surprised by the decision.”
They suggested that the Greater Manchester Mayor had “closed off the usual channels” of being able to ask special permission to run because of his antagonistic behaviour towards the leadership.
On Monday, Nigel Farage said he believed the turn of events had “improved massively” Reform’s chances of winning the by-election.
“Burnham would have galvanised the anti-Starmer vote,” he said.
“Now he’s not there. I think that the anti-Starmer vote will coalesce around us, so I think our chances have improved massively overnight.”
Starmer made ‘right decision’
Many Labour MPs believe Starmer was still correct to bar Burnham from running.
One backbencher said of the mayor’s leadership ambitions: “Andy Burnham would be better for my career, as I feel a bit frozen out under Keir, but changing Prime Minister right now is not in the national interest.
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“Keir has done a good job building international alliances at a perilous time for the world.
“Also – I think it’s wrong to see this as Andy being ‘blocked’ for purely political reasons. He is a current mayor and I would expect all our elected mayors to keep their promises to voters and serve full terms.”
Another MP said the NEC made the “right decision”.
““We don’t need weeks and months of speculation and distraction when we need to be focusing on delivery,” they said. “And the risk of losing the Greater Manchester mayoralty. And all of this has taken focus off some very good achievements.”
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