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Keir Starmerwas cautioned last night about the by-election block onAndy Burnhamhas increased the probability that he will encounter a leadership contest.

On a tense day yesterday, the Prime Minister faced accusations of being fearful following his direct involvement in efforts to block the Greater Manchester mayor’s attempt to become an MP.

Sir Keir’s choice could spark a civil war insideLabourafter he confronted influential party members who openly supported Mr Burnham’s campaign to return to Westminster.

Last night, Mr Burnham finally spoke out to express his disapproval of the “management of the Labour Party” following the disclosure that the media had been informed of the decision prior to him.

Sharing on X, Mr. Burnham stated: “I am disappointed with the NEC’s decision and worried about how it might affect the crucial elections coming up.”

He stated, “The fact that the media learned about the NEC decision before I did reveals all you need to understand about how the Labour Party is currently being managed.”

You might expect that more than 30 years of service would mean something, but it seems not.

The decision to prevent him from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election has angered Labour MPs, who have cautioned Sir Keir that it could ‘speed up his downfall’ and raise the likelihood of a leadership vote.

Amid the controversy, Sir Keir was seen in the stands at Emirates Stadium as his football club Arsenal suffered a 3-2 defeat at home against Manchester United yesterday.

The Labour Party is set to encounter challenging local elections in May, where it is anticipated to suffer significant setbacks in Wales and Scotland, and may lose constituencies to Reform UK.

There is also anger that by blocking Mr Burnham, possibly Labour’s strongest contender for the position, the party has handed it to Nigel Farage’s party.

Karl Turner, the Labour MP representing Kingston upon Hull East, stated that the move to undermine Mr Burnham’s campaign “offers a greater opportunity for a challenge” if the party fails to win the by-election.

Labour MP and ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell stated he had conveyed a message to the Prime Minister, saying, ‘if he believes this bolsters his standing, I think it could be utilized to speed up his downfall if he isn’t cautious.’

And former Labour MP Diane Abbott, who is now independent, stated: ‘If the outcomes in May are as poor as we all expect them to be, a contender will arise from somewhere.’

In a significant political development yesterday, Sir Keir argued against Mr. Burnham stepping down from his position to contest the seat. He received strong support from the majority of a panel within the party’s leadership body, who opposed the idea of holding another election for the Manchester mayoral position.

A Labour mayor who is elected directly must obtain approval from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) before participating in a by-election. The Labour party stated that they have refused this request to prevent an unnecessary mayoral election, which would require significant public funds and resources that could be more effectively used in addressing the cost-of-living crisis.

A 45-minute gathering involving ten NEC members, chaired by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who did not cast a vote, reached the decision. The group, which comprised the Prime Minister and Solicitor General Ellie Reeves—sister of Chancellor Rachel Reeves—cast an 8-1 vote against Mr. Burnham.

However, indicating splits within the party, Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell was his only supporter, casting the single vote in favor.

Labour insiders mentioned that the choice was made to avoid a costly and bitter contest for the Manchester mayoral position against Reform.

Some proposals indicate that holding a mayoral election alongside the by-election could incur significant expenses, with the previous one amounting to approximately £4.7 million.

There were also significant concerns that Reform might win the mayoral position—the most substantial achievement yet for Mr Farage.

Mr. Burnham stated yesterday: “[On Monday] I will return with complete concentration to my position as Mayor of GM, safeguarding all that we have established in our city-region over numerous years.”

“I chose to run in order to stop the divisive policies of Reform from harming that. We are stronger when united, and let’s keep it that way.” The by-election was initiated on Friday following the resignation of former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne, who stepped down due to health reasons.

Mr. Gwynne was suspended by the Labour party a year ago when The Mail on Sunday revealed a number of derogatory WhatsApp messages he had sent.

The formerly secure Labour constituency is now considered a three-way close contest between Labour, Reform, and the Greens. The choice to prevent Mr. Burnham from being selected has led to significant frustration among Labour MPs, including Jo White – leader of the powerful Red Wall group – who on Friday urged the North to make the decision.

It has also angered influential union leaders, such as Unison’s Andrea Egan, who cautioned against ‘control freakery’ prior to the decision. She tweeted yesterday: ‘This is not how any democratic organization should be managed. It’s time to bring our movement together, not split it apart.’

The row has created a North-South split within the party and could push Labour further into internal conflict.

Competition among the Prime Minister’s potential successors will intensify, with Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner expected to take the forefront.

Supporters of the Health Secretary claim he has ‘strong’ backing from nearly half of Labour’s 404 MPs in his bid to contest Sir Keir’s leadership.

However, former Deputy Prime Minister Ms. Rayner is frequently mentioned as a potential candidate, along with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who leads in member polls.

Mr. Streeting has not hidden his ambition to become Prime Minister at some stage and has been associated with a potential contest if Labour suffers a major defeat in the local elections in May.

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