{"id":15366,"date":"2026-01-24T17:54:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T17:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=15366"},"modified":"2026-01-24T17:54:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T17:54:17","slug":"andy-burnham-seeks-permission-to-stand-in-by-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=15366","title":{"rendered":"Andy Burnham seeks permission to stand in by-election"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Andy Burnham has announced that he is seeking permission to stand in the upcoming Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election.<\/p>\n

Currently mayor of Greater Manchester, he insisted he wants to back the Labour government “not undermine it” and said that the decision to announce his intentions had been “difficult”.<\/p>\n

The seat in Greater Manchester is vacant after Andrew Gwynne stood down on Friday as an MP on health grounds.<\/p>\n

If he won the by-election, Burnham could mount a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer but the BBC has been told that allies of the prime minister may try and block him from standing in the constituency. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As a directly-elected mayor, Burnham has to get approval from Labour’s ruling national executive committee before he can enter the race to be the party’s candidate.<\/p>\n

Several Labour MPs have reacted angrily to the suggestion that he could be blocked from standing.<\/p>\n

Some senior figures in the party have also said they believe Burnham should be allowed to stand.<\/p>\n

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: “If Andy Burnham wants to be a member of Parliament, Andy Burnham should be allowed to be a member of Parliament”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n