Over half of Labour members disagree with NEC decision to block Andy Burnham, exclusive polling reveals

Over half of Labour members disagree with the decision to block Andy Burnham from seeking candidate selection in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, exclusive polling for LabourList shows.

When asked of whether they agreed or disagreed with the decision by the national executive committee (NEC) in LabourList’s exclusive poll conducted by Survation, 53% of Labour members stated they opposed the decision, with 40% supporting the NEC’s stance.

READ MORE: Keir Starmer defends NEC Burnham ruling amid rift among PLP

More than two-thirds (69%) of members who think the Prime Minister is doing a good job in office backed the NEC’s ruling on Burnham’s candidacy, while more than three-quarters (78%) who think Starmer is doing badly were opposed to the decision.

Almost half (48%) of members who backed Keir Starmer in the 2020 leadership election thought the NEC was right to block Burnham, but 45% disagreed.

Survation’s polling revealed an even split among Labour members about whether Burnham was right or wrong to attempt to stand as a candidate.

Some 46% of members thought Burnham was right to throw his hat into the ring, while another 46% said it was the wrong move to make by the Greater Manchester Mayor, with eight percent unsure. While 63% of those who voted for Lucy Powell as the party’s deputy leader, the only member of the NEC panel to back Burnham, said Burnham was right to make a bid for Westminster, 80% of those who supported Bridget Phillipson said Burnham was wrong.

Both the decision by Burnham to attempt to stand and that of the the NEC to block him doing so have not come without consequences to the favourability amongst Labour members for either the Prime Minister or Greater Manchester’s Mayor.

Third of members think Labour will win in Gorton and Denton

LabourList’s exclusive polling shows that 41% of members had a worsened opinion of Burnham, compared to 20% whose opinion had improved. Around four in ten (39%) said their opinion had not changed.

Similarly, Starmer has also taken a hit to his favourability from his role in the matter, as just over a third (35%) of members said they have a worse opinion of him following the NEC decision, in comparison to 15% whose view has improved. Almost half (49%) said their view of the Prime Minister was unchanged.

Regardless of the tensions around candidate selection for Gorton and Denton, a third of Labour members remain confident that Labour can win the upcoming by-election, due to take place on February 26.

Polling found that 33% of members still believe Labour will win the seat, while 27% think Reform would come first and 18% telling Survation that the Greens would top the poll.

I am currently in Gorton and Denton  reporting on behalf of LabourList to find out more about how the campaign is going as the lead up to a crucial by-election continues.

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The poll is the latest in a series of regular polls LabourList is publishing in partnership with leading pollsters Survation, a member of the British Polling Council and a Market Research Society Partner.

Survation surveyed 1,264 readers of LabourList, the leading dedicated newsletter and news and comment website for Labour supporters, who also said they were Labour Party members between 29th January – 3rd February 2026.

Data was weighted to the profile of party members by age, sex, region, 2020 Labour leadership vote and 2025 deputy leadership vote. Targets for weighting were drawn from the British Election Study and the results of the leadership and deputy leadership election.

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