Burnham says he plans to stand in by-election

Andy Burnham has announced that he intends to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election, setting up a potential return to Westminster for the Greater Manchester mayor. Mr Burnham said he had applied to Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) for permission to seek selection for the contest on Saturday. He said the decision had been “difficult”, but now was “the moment to mount the strongest possible defence of what we stand for”. The NEC can still block his bid for selection by refusing permission, and supporters of the Prime Minister are reported to be mobilising to prevent him from becoming a candidate. But senior Labour figures have called for Mr Burnham to be allowed to stand, with the party’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, saying the decision should be up to local party members.