Gorton and Denton: Who will make decision over Andy Burnham’s candidacy?

Andy Burnham has announced he will seek permission from Labour’s National Executive Committee to enter the selection process for the Gorton and Denton by-election.

With the deadline for candidate applications set at just before midnight tomorrow night, a selection of NEC members are expected to meet tomorrow morning (January 25) to make a decision on Burnham’s plans to return to Westminster.

Of the 41 members of the NEC, only ten will be in the room to decide whether the Mayor of Greater Manchester will be granted permission to stand, resigning from his role as mayor in the process.

The ten members understood to be:

• Shabana Mahmood MP (Chair of Labour’s NEC)
• Peter Wheeler (Vice Chair of Labour’s NEC)
• Keir Starmer MP (Leader of the Labour Party)
• Lucy Powell (Deputy Leader of the Labour Party)
• Mike Payne (NEC Treasurer)
• Ellie Reeves (Frontbench Representative)
• Keiran O’Neill (GMB Representative)
• Tom Williams (USDAW Representative)
• Abdi Duale (CLP Representative)
• Gurinder Singh Josan (PLP Representative)

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It has been reported that the ten-person group is minded to block Burnham’s attempt to stand in the by-election.

While it is unclear what would happen in the event of a tie, it is thought that the chair of the NEC, Shabana Mahmood, would have the deciding vote in such a circumstance.

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