Burnham suggests Labour more likely to lose byelection after blocking him – UK politics live

Minister defends move, saying that a mayoral campaign in Greater Manchester would have ‘a substantial and disproportionate impact’ on party resourcesAndy Burnham has suggested that Labour is more likely to lose the Gorton and Denton byelection now that it has blocked him from being the candidate.He implied this last night in a reply on social media to a post from Tom Baldwin, Keir Starmer’s biographer and communications director for Ed Miliband when he was Labour leader. Baldwin said:I’ve always liked @AndyBurnhamGM but the prospect of him returning to Westminster has already added to inward-looking psychodrama that does no one any good. And an unnecessary by-election for Mayor of Manchester might well have resulted in long term damage to his reputation too.I’m not sure losing a by-election does us any good either, Tom.I am disappointed by today’s NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us.To whoever is Labour’s candidate and to our members in Manchester and Tameside: you will have my full support and I will be there whenever you need me. Continue reading...