NEC Approves Burnham for Makerfield Selection; Endorsement 21 May
Labour’s National Executive Committee on Friday approved Andy Burnham’s entry into the candidate selection process for the Makerfield by-election. NEC officers agreed by email to grant a waiver and did not wait for Burnham’s formal application. The selection window opened immediately and closes at noon on Monday; longlisting and due diligence conclude on Monday, shortlisting interviews and hustings on Tuesday, with NEC endorsement marked for 21 May.
A Labour party spokesperson said: “Labour’s ruling body, the national executive committee has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency.” The reversal is striking: in February the same officers’ group, including the Prime Minister, blocked Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. An NEC member told The Guardian: “Regardless of where people stand on the recent events in the party, we have got this by-election and he is our best shot of winning it, so we need to get behind him.” The earliest by-election date is Thursday 18 June.