Andy Burnham Would 'Probably' Have Secured the Recent Byelection, Says Labour Number Two
The party's second-in-command has suggested that Andy Burnham would have triumphed in the Gorton and Denton byelection, as she urged her party to make more use of the influential Greater Manchester mayor.
An Unexpected Result for the Greens
Overcoming a sizable 13,000-vote Labour majority from the previous general election, a local Green councillor, a community tradesperson, was elected as the Green Party's fifth MP on Friday. This occurred in an area that had elected Labour MPs for almost one hundred years.
The Reform Party's Matt Goodwin placed second, just ahead of the official Labour contender, Angeliki Stogia.
Fresh Questions Over Candidate Decision
The unexpected outcome has prompted renewed questioning of the party's choice to block Andy Burnham from contesting the seat last month.
Speaking to the BBC, Labour's deputy leader, Lucy Powell, stated, "He likely could have held the seat. I think certainly the Greens wouldn't have targeted the seat in the same way that they did."
Powell was the only member of Labour's ruling national executive committee to support allowing Burnham to stand, with the majority, including leader Keir Starmer, opposing the move.
Collective Decision
However, she told the BBC she understood "the group's decision" for the ruling, pointing to worries over triggering a separate election in Greater Manchester.
Powell also emphasized that her party needed to learn from the sources of Burnham's widespread popularity in the region. She said people "see in him someone who is fighting for them, someone who is implementing those Labour values and Labour policies."
"It is essential we utilise that insight, leverage Andy Burnham, but also draw on that and reflect on how we could replicate that success nationally," she added.
What Comes Next
Andy Burnham is reportedly considering another attempt at becoming an MP again. One ally said, "Given the current political climate, who knows what might happen. It would be foolish to say he would never."
So far, Burnham himself has yet to comment on the byelection result. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has vowed to fight on despite calling the poll result "disappointing."
Party Response
Angela Rayner, a key figure on Labour's left, called the byelection result "a wake-up call" for the party.
In contrast, the Home Secretary is expected to caution about the party moving to the left in response to the defeat. This comes as the government proposes new laws on stricter border controls next week.
An insider was quoted as saying, "The Labour government should not learn the wrong lessons from its electoral setback. The idea that we are losing Muslim voters over immigration is simply incorrect."
