The National Executive Committee (NEC) is the governing body of the UK Labour Party responsible for overseeing party rules, candidate selections, disciplinary actions, and major strategic decisions.

In this case, the NEC holds the authority to grant or deny Andy Burnham “express permission” to stand as a candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, as he is currently serving as an elected mayor.

For Keir Starmer, the NEC is crucial because it is largely controlled by his allies, giving him leverage to block Burnham’s return to Westminster and thereby reduce the risk of a future leadership challenge from the popular “King of the North”.

Burnham’s bid depends entirely on the NEC’s decision, expected within 24 hours, as rejection could prevent him from mounting any parliamentary comeback or using the by-election as a platform.

The outcome matters deeply because blocking Burnham risks alienating senior Labour figures and the grassroots, potentially deepening party divisions, while approving him could open the door for internal dissent against Starmer’s leadership.