With the decision by Labour’s Executive to block Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton constituency what happens now
Well firstly Labour have to pick a candidate-Manchester Council leader Bev Craig has been muted as a candidate with the names of other Labour Councillors including Julie Reid, Suzanne Richards and Rabnawaz Akbar
However many commentators believe that the decision to block Burnham has opened the seat up to a two way fight between Reform U.K. and the Greens
Green leader Zak Polanski had said that At the upcoming by-election it’s become clear that the Greens are the only progressive party capable of taking on and beating Reform. We already have activists on the ground, and we welcome any friends in Labour to support our campaign“
As for Reform tbey have yet to select their candidate but will surely throw their resources into the constituency battle
Meanwhile the fallout from the decision continues with reports that Labour MP’s are “gathering signatures for a letter which demands a full meeting of the NEC to “re-evaluate” the decision, with dozens of MPs expected to add their names.”
The letter warned that losing the by-election would be “unimaginable… blocking [Mr Burnham] from even making his case to local members risks sending a message that the party does not respect devolution”.
It added: “It risks telling our own local members that we do not trust them to make the important decision on who is best placed to fight this election for them and serve as the next MP…
If Labour were to lose lthe seat Kier Starmer may well have just spent the very last of his political capital
