Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, faces a 17:00 GMT Saturday deadline to decide whether to contest the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.
A victory in the parliamentary seat would position Burnham to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labor party leadership.
However, Burnham must overcome several obstacles. As a directly-elected mayor, he requires permission from Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to stand as a candidate.
Sources indicate some of Starmer’s allies on the NEC will attempt to block his candidacy, a move that could alienate Labour MPs who support Burnham.
Burnham, a former Labour minister, has not confirmed his intentions. He stated on Thursday that he remains “focused” on his mayoral duties and urged against “rushing to conclusions” regarding the vacancy.
Lucy Powell, Labour’s Deputy Leader and an NEC member, signaled her support for Burnham, advocating for “the very best candidate” to maximize Labour’s chances of winning the by-election. She described burnham as “an incredibly popular politician” and acknowledged his need to “make up his own mind.”
Powell, representing a Manchester constituency, emphasized the importance of Labour members “getting behind Keir Starmer” and avoiding internal conflict during the by-election.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also voiced his support,stating,“If Andy Burnham wants to be a member of Parliament,Andy Burnham should be allowed to be a member of Parliament.” He added, “I am a firm believer in the best teams having all the talent playing for them.”
Speculation suggests Starmer could face a leadership challenge following the May elections for the Welsh Parliament, Scottish Parliament, and numerous English local councils, which are anticipated to be challenging for Labour.
Nearly 30 councils are expected to see changes in control.
