Overview
- Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said Andy Burnham should be allowed to run for Parliament and she pledged to support him.
- Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee, blocked Burnham in January in what was reported as an 8-1 vote with Lucy Powell as the only supporter.
- NEC members told the New Statesman their stance has not shifted because a Burnham move to Westminster would trigger a costly Greater Manchester mayoral election.
- Angela Rayner urged Keir Starmer to pick more fights to show the government backs voters and compared Labour's troubles to the Michael Foot era.
- May elections for Scotland, Wales and English councils are described in reporting as a key test for Starmer, and one NEC member suggested Burnham’s only clear route could be to resign as mayor first and then seek a seat.