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Andy Burnham has broken his silence and said he is "concerned" about the impact of the Labour Party's decision to bar him from the Gorton and Denton by-election. Members of Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) voted on Sunday morning to deny Mr Burnham permission to stand in the contest.

The committee cited the impact on party resources of fighting an "unnecessary" mayoral by-election if he won in Gorton and Denton and had to stand down as mayor of Greater Manchester. In a statement on social media hours later, Mr Burnham said: "I am disappointed by today's NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us.

The Labour NEC Officers Group blocked Mr Burnham's bid to return to Westminster, citing the £4.7 million cost and the regional instability of triggering a snap mayoral by-election as their primary justifications. The decision provoked an immediate angry reaction, with former shadow Chancellor John McDonnell calling it "disgusting" and another unnamed backbencher branding the situation a "total ****show".

By using a specific "Burnham Clause" in the rulebook to veto his candidacy before local members could even vote, the party leadership has ignited a fierce internal row over control-freakery and the silencing of local voices. Earlier, party grandee Shami Chakrabarti warned Labour against blocking Mr Burnham, calling it a terrible mistake that could damage the party. In an exchange with Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Chakrabarti argued an ambitious politician would avoid association with any "cagey, nervous, defensive decision" on candidate selection. The Greater Manchester mayor had formally asked Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) for permission to stand in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, a move that has ignited fierce debate across the party.

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