A York MP has criticised Keir Starmer after Andy Burnham was blocked from standing in a parliamentary by-election.
A 10-strong group from Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC), including the Prime Minister himself, voted to deny Mr Burnham permission to stand in Gorton and Denton at a meeting yesterday (Sunday).
The NEC cited the cost of fighting a mayoral by-election and the risk of losing the Greater Manchester mayoralty.
But critics accused the Prime Minister and his supporters of blocking Mr Burnham’s candidacy for factional reasons, fearing a leadership challenge from the mayor if he returned to Westminster.
One of those critics is York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell. She told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour last night: “Keir Starmer supported Andy Burnham for the leadership of the Labour Party in 2015.
“I don’t understand why he doesn’t today recognise the talent he has to bring it into the Labour team to give Labour the best chance, not only in ensuring that we win the by election in Denton and Gorton, which isn’t a given, but also ensuring that we go on in May to win those critical elections across local authorities and, of course, in Wales and Scotland.”
If Mr Burnham became an MP, wouldn’t Ms Maskell be urging him to stand against Keir Starmer for the leadership from day one?
“Well, at the right time. I do think Andy Burnham would make a fantastic Prime Minister.
“I supported him for the post in the past, and I really would welcome him to have that opportunity at some point in the future.
“But right now, I do believe the ordinary members of Denton and Gorton should have the opportunity to choose the candidate of their choice and to block Andy was clearly the wrong decision.”
She added that other MPs were “really disappointed with the decision today”.
