David Vance SubstackRead More
Well then, the decision has been made and it is clear; Labour NEC will not allow Andy Burnham to contest the Gorton and Denton by‑election, thus effectively ending his chances of his return to Westminster and the likely challenge to Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. Sources say the decision went 8-1 against Burnham, with Starmer being one of the eight who rejected Burnham’s potential candidature earlier today.
Now, you might think “that’s it then” the rebellion has been quelled before it has started and Starmer survives to fight another day but there is a real problem with this; what if the candidate that the NEC approves stands and LOSES? After all, even with Burnham standing the Green Party’s Zac Polanski was the bookies favourite to win the seat! Now that some no-name is going to stand for Labour, the likelihood of a Labour defeat just increases. And who will be blamed for the loss? Starmer.
The calculation being made here is that even if they lose Gorton and Denton, Starmer can still cling on as Leader. Whereas if Burnham had stood and WON, the writing would be on the wall for Starmer. Ultimately, this is all about keeping Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. He doesn’t care about the Labour Party and he doesn’t care about the country. He knows that May 8th is d-day when the full scale of Labour losses will be visible for all to see. By keeping Burnham away, Starmer is calculating that there is no one around with the stature to challenge him and win.
I think he is mistaken.
