It was the leadership challenge that was over before it had even begun. On Friday, former Labour MP and “king of the north” Andy Burnham looked set to make a return to Westminster after eight years as the mayor of Greater Manchester.
Only one thing stood in his way – his own party. While many threw their support behind the popular mayor, backing him to win what could prove to be a tricky by-election triggered by Andrew Gwynne’s resignation, Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) had made up their minds by midday on Saturday. Mr Burnham would not run.
On Monday morning, Mr Burnham appeared relaxed as he cracked jokes about having a quiet weekend. At the same time, Sir Keir Starmer – his would-be leadership rival – was attempting to explain himself to the press, saying the NEC’s decision to block Mr Burnham was more about conserving Labour resources than protecting himself.
But in Manchester, voters couldn’t disguise their fury. Since May 2017, when Mr Burnham was first elected as mayor, the city-region has become the UK’s fastest-growing, with its economy growing 28 per cent since 2015. Many in the region recognise Mr Burnham’s achievements in establishing its integrated travel network known as the “Bee network”. Also far from their memories is his time speaking out against the government’s lockdown tiers during the pandemic.
Some told The Independent that while they wanted Mr Burnham in Manchester, they believe he could be the right man for the top job.
But he also has his critics. Others said they feel let down by Labour as a whole, branding them “Tories in red”.
‘I would have felt abandoned’
Out in Manchester city centre, Mr Owens, who did not give his first name, told The Independent he “loves” Mr Burnham, but would have felt “abandoned” had he been elected as an MP.
“I love Andy Burnham,” he said. “I think Manchester would be worse off without him, so I hope he stays. I know everybody has got to do what’s best for them but he has always said he’d do what’s best for Manchester, so it’s either himself or Manchester. It is a tough one.
He added while he was “not happy” about Mr Burnham being blocked from running, he believes a mayoral election may open the door for Reform in Greater Manchester.
“If he ran to be an MP and Greater Manchester was left over to a new mayor, I think Reform would give them a good stick to beat us with,” he said.
“It is a decision for Manchester to make, but there are procedures and you can’t just kick them into a bin just because somebody wants to be an MP.”
‘He’s more Labour than any of them in government’
On Deansgate, a couple who did not want to be named said they lived in Stockport and wished Mr Burnham had been given the opportunity to go for the premiership.
“He’s more of a Labour man than any of them in there,” one said. “He’s for the people.”
They said they were frustrated by the NEC’s decision to block him from running, a choice they said “should have been Manchester’s”.
‘I hope they change their minds’
Anna, who did not give her surname, said she had lived in Manchester for around 50 years and said she hoped the NEC may “change their minds”.
“I hope he gets chosen soon,” she said. “I’ve been watching him and following his votes.
“He’s very very good.”
When asked if she believed residents of Greater Manchester should have made the decision over Mr Burnham’s eligibility for the by-election, she told The Independent she thinks it should have been down to “more people” than just the NEC.
‘Starmer’s scared of him’
Gorton may have hit the headlines over the weekend, but its sleepy high street on Monday afternoon betrayed no sign of its status as a political battleground.
Waiting for a bus, one woman who did not give her name told The Independent she thought Mr Burnham had done “so much” for Manchester – but that she wouldn’t mind giving him up to the top job.
“I don’t think he should’ve been blocked,” she said. “He’s better than Starmer.
“He’s all for the north, and he’s fair.”
She accused Sir Keir of blocking his candidacy because he was “scared” but said ultimately she believes it was a bad decision for Labour.
“I think if we had more Burnhams, people would vote Labour.”
‘Starmer is running the party like a dictatorship’
Another man described himself as an ex-Labour voter who now votes Green.
He said he feels Sir Keir is running the Labour party like a “dictatorship” and criticised him for not letting Mr Burnham run.
“It should have been our decision to make, we bl***y live here,” he said. “But the Labour Party now are just Tories in red. So I wouldn’t vote for him anyway.”
‘He’s the worst thing to happen to Manchester’
While waiting for her bus, another woman said she would not support Mr Burnham in a by-election, but that she didn’t support him as mayor either.
“Andy Burnham is the worst thing that ever happened to Manchester,” she said. “The buses are worse than they’ve ever been.”
She said she would have preferred for Andrew Gwynne not to step down, calling him a “good constituency MP”.
“Andrew Gwynne wasn’t afraid to stand up to the big boys,” she said. “But Andy Burnham drinks with the big boys.”