The decision by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) to block Andy Burnham from standing in a parliamentary byelection prompted a wave of headlines about Keir Starmer’s leadership and potential rifts in the party.
“Labour faces risk of party civil war after PM blocks Burnham’s return” is how the Guardian framed the vote to reject Burnham’s request to seek selection in the Gorton and Denton byelection. Burnham said he was “disappointed” by the NEC’s decision, and hit out at “the way the Labour party is being run”.
