Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham speaks to the media outside Bridgewater Hall, following last-ditch talks with the Prime Minister aimed at securing additional financial support for his consent on new coronavirus restrictions, in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. The British government appeared poised Tuesday to impose strict coronavirus restrictions on England’s second-largest city after talks with officials in Greater Manchester failed to reach an agreement on financial support for people whose livelihoods will be hit by the new measures (AP Photo/Jon Super)Andy Burnham has been blocked from running to be a Labour MP by the party’s ruling body.The mayor of Greater Manchester had been hoping to be selected as the party’s candidate for the upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton after Andrew Gwynne’s resignation this week.As a directly elected mayor, he needed permission from Labour’s top team to run. However, the National Executive Committee (NEC) has chosen to bar his bid to return to Westminster.According to the Guardian, out of a group of 10, eight voted against Burnham and one in favour of letting him run.The chair, home secretary Shabana Mahmood, abstained from the vote altogether.It follows fears from Keir Starmer’s allies that the so-called King of the North would be able to challenge the prime minister more effectively if he had a seat in parliament.There were also concerns about the costs of runnning a new election for the mayoralty if he were to become an MP.But the move is likely to generate a significant divide within the Labour Party amid accusations of a stitch-up.Senior Labour figures including energy secretary Ed Miliband and Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell had called on the NEC to allow Burnham to run.On Monday, the NEC will choose a longlist of possible Labour candidates for the by-election.Related…Laura Kuenssberg Tears Into ‘Absolute Car Crash’ Surrounding Labour Amid Andy Burnham Row’If Andy Burnham Is The Answer, What Are The Questions?’Andy Burnham Tees Up Battle With Keir Starmer By Launching MP Bid HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public) Read More