"It is worth noting that if Labour's national executive committee (NEC) had granted Burnham his wish, this would have just been the first step in the process: the mayor would have had to get the local party's backing and actually win the seat before arriving in parliament as a shiny would-be heir apparent. But the NEC's decision, which is in effect No 10's, seemingly places an absolute full-stop on this chronology."
"It is perhaps not much of a surprise, given that for all his reputation for U-turning on national policy, when it comes to internal party matters Starmer is generally decisive, even ruthless. Within weeks of becoming Labour leader in 2020, Starmer banished Rebecca Long-Bailey, the leftwinger who came second in the leadership contest, from his shadow cabinet amid a controversy about antisemitism."
Andrew Gwynne's decision to step down opened a rare parliamentary opportunity met by Andy Burnham's bid to return from the Greater Manchester mayoralty. Keir Starmer confronted a choice between blocking Burnham and risking accusations of partisan control, or allowing the candidacy and leaving the outcome to chance. The Labour NEC's refusal effectively halted Burnham's route back to Westminster by stopping the candidacy process at a national level. Starmer has shown decisiveness in internal party matters before, removing Rebecca Long-Bailey from the shadow cabinet and overseeing Jeremy Corbyn's suspension. The current decision carries greater political risk amid falling Labour poll numbers.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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