The internal battles to replace the British prime minister, Keir Starmerin front of the Labor Party They are more evident than ever. Several deputies from the party have shown their indignation at the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) veto al mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnhamin his attempt to qualify for a seat in it british parliament.
The committee, of which he is a part Starmerhas attributed the decision to the need to save resources for the local and regional election campaigns in May, but his rivals have blamed it on an attempt to stop a potential opponent in the battle for party leadership and the Government.
The name of Burnham has sounded in recent months like a Starmer’s possible replacement in case the current prime minister fails to reverse the bad electoral forecasts, which point to a debacle in the regional elections in Scotland and Wales and in the local elections in England next May.
Candidacy vetoed
Burnham He has the support of dozens of deputies from his party, but in order to be eligible for the leadership of the party he needs to have a seat in parliament. An opportunity that opened this weekend after the withdrawal of the Labor representative from the constituency of Gorton and Dentonlocated in the suburbs of Manchester.
Burnham officially confirmed his intention to be the labor candidate in the early elections in this constituency, scheduled for the end of February. But his aspirations have been stopped by the NECwhich has rejected the request by eight votes in favor and one against, alleging that the movement would force elections to be called in Manchester City Council now spend party resources unnecessarily.
“We have very important elections throughout England for local councils, very important elections in Gales for the government there and very important elections in Scotland for the Scottish Government that will affect millions of people. We are campaigning on the cost of living and we need focus all our attention on those elections”has assured Starmer this Monday, in an attempt to justify the decision. Their rivalsHowever, they consider that the prime minister is acting with “cowardice” and trying to protect himself from a possible challenge to his leadership.
“Blocking our only veteran Labor politician with a net positive popularity rating is put before las petty maneuvers of the factions and personal account adjustments a [la posibilidad de] win the elections,” said the Labor MP. Nadia Witthome this Monday in statements to the BBC.
“What many non-ministerial MPs feel is that our loyalty is to the Labor Party, not to some of the people in the top positions of the Labor Party who are destroying the party we love”he added.
Call for unity
own Burnham has shown his “disappointment” by the NEC decision and has expressed its “worry” due to the impact it will have on the elections in Gorton and Denton, suggesting that the party will have difficulty maintaining the seat in this constituency if it elects another candidate with less weight.
Despite this, the councilor has indicated that, after his candidacy was blocked, his priority will be to return to focus fully in their functions at the head of the consistory and work to achieve the unity of his party against the “divisive politics” of the populist right-wing party Reform UK.
Starmer has also made a call for unity to face the match Nigel Faragewhich polls place as the first force in voting intention with a clear advantage over conservatives and Labor.
“The battle of our time is the battle between the patriotism of the Labor party and Government and the division of Reform. There is no doubt about it: In that battle, we are all fighting for this,” said the Prime Minister. For now, the labor leader He has managed to contain the most immediate threat, but doubts about his continuity at the head of the party – and the Government – have not been dispelled at all.
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