Andy Burnham's bid to return as MP blocked by Labour's ruling body

Andy Burnham has been blocked from standing as a candidate for an upcoming parliamentary by-election in Gorton and Denton by Labour's ruling body.

As a directly elected mayor, Burnham had to get approval from Labour's national executive committee (NEC), after he applied to be a candidate on Saturday.

Some NEC members were concerned about an expensive mayoral election to replace Burnham, and allies of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer feared he could mount a leadership challenge, should he return to Westminster.

The move is likely to infuriate Labour MPs and some ministers who said local party members should have had the option of choosing the Greater Manchester mayor as the candidate.

The decision was made by 10 members of the NEC, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Sunday morning.

Earlier, she told the BBC allowing elected mayors to run as candidates in parliamentary by-elections had "organisational implications" for the party.