𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Sir Keir Starmer has ordered all 404 Labour MPs to make campaigning visits to Gorton and Denton, in a bid to avoid humiliation in next month’s by-election. Bookmakers have Reform candidate Matt Goodwin as the favourite to win the February 26 poll, after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was blocked from standing for Labour.

The Green Party, which will name its candidate on Friday, insists the vote is now a two-horse race. Leader Zack Polanksi said: “We alone will be taking the fight to Reform”. Sir Keir has appointed junior transport minister Andrew Western to oversee Labour’s campaign, and every Labour MP has been told they must visit the North-west constituency at least once before polling day.

Labour is to name its candidate on Saturday, with four local councillors, including Bury Council leader Eamonn O’Brien, in the running.

But the fallout from the decision to bar Mr Burnham continued, as the Mayor insisted he was “probably in a better position than anybody” to prevent Reform gaining the seat, which Labour held in 2024 with a majority of 13,413.

Sir Keir was among the members of Labour’s National Executive Committee to vote in favour of blocking Mr Burnham, and the pair spoke on Monday in an effort to clear the air.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Mr Burnham said: “I did ask to speak to the Prime Minister, because I wanted to assure him of something I put in the letter that supported my application, and it was that I wasn’t coming in to undermine him or the Government.

“I was coming in to see if I could contribute, because some of the things I know are holding Greater Manchester back are problems at that level.”

He insisted his candidacy would have “created a more positive path for everybody, including the Prime Minister, including the Government”.

Mr Burnham also criticised anonymous briefings against him that appeared to have come from people attempting to help Sir Keir.

He warned: “Some people just think they can say what they like to the media.

“And why do they do it? You’re asking me – they do it to denigrate the character, impugn the integrity of elected politicians.”

Ladbrokes has Reform as the favourite to win the poll with odds of 11/10.

Conservatives denied that the by-election would be a two-horse race between Labour and Reform UK. Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers said: “We will be putting forward a fantastic local candidate, and we’ll be fighting for every vote.”