One of Britain’s most high-profile politicians has been blocked from standing for Parliament — not by voters, but by his own party.

The Labour Party has prevented Andy Burnham from standing as its candidate in a parliamentary by-election, following a decision by the party’s National Executive Committee.

Burnham is widely known as Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he has led high-profile work on homelessness and public health, and became a national voice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although election as an MP would have required him to stand down as Mayor, the decision to block his candidacy was a political choice made by Labour’s National Executive Committee.

This petition calls on Labour to reverse that decision. In a democracy, voters — not party gatekeepers — should decide who represents them.