Andy Burnham said on Thursday that Westminster insiders “do not get a licence to lie,” taking an angry swipe at the political briefing culture in the House of Commons. After a week of political tension over the Labour Party’s national executive committee blocking him from standing in next month’s Gorton and Denton by-election, the Manchester mayor stated he would call out liars in Westminster following the dispute.
During a BBC Radio Manchester phone-in, Burnham said that since his time in government, he had seen people who “just think they can say what they like” to the media. “They do it to denigrate the character and impugn the integrity of elected politicians,” he said.
The fallout from Keir Starmer and the NEC’s decision to block Burnham has continued this week. On Tuesday, Burnham accused Downing Street sources of lying after an unnamed Starmer ally claimed Burnham had been told “in no uncertain terms” that any request to the NEC to put his name forward for the by-election would be refused. A Number 10 spokesperson denied that anyone close to Starmer had told Burnham his application would be rejected.
Burnham also cited the “stop Wes” briefings, where unnamed Downing Street sources warned Health Secretary Wes Streeting and others not to try to oust the prime minister. “Some of these people are paid by the public purse, but in my view, anybody paid by the public purse does not get a licence to lie,” he said.
He added: “In the aftermath of all this, I’m not going to be bitter, and I’ll be out there campaigning in the by-election, but I am going to call that one thing out.”
Burnham said he wanted to “give great credit” to Starmer for backing the Hillsborough law he brought to parliament, which will require a “duty of candour” from public servants. However, he indicated that the prime minister had chosen not to speak to him before his decision to apply for a Manchester seat, despite Burnham’s request, though the two did speak on Monday.
“I want this to be known as well: I spoke to senior people in the party, including the home secretary. We had a really great conversation,” he said. “And I did ask to speak to the prime minister because I wanted to assure him of something I put in the letter supporting my application—that I wasn’t coming in to undermine him or the government.”
The Manchester mayor said it was never his intention to undercut the prime minister’s authority. “I was coming in to see if I could contribute, because some of the things I know are holding Greater Manchester back are problems at that level,” he said.
Asked about his conversation with Starmer on Monday, Burnham said: “It was a fair exchange. We both said how we felt, and I was glad to have that conversation and a chance to say how I felt. I would have preferred, obviously, to speak in advance of the decision to assure him of what I was trying to do. As I say, I think it could have created a more positive path for everybody, including the prime minister and the government.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Andy Burnhams statement regarding Westminster insiders and the license to lie controversy
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Andy Burnham and why is he commenting on this
Andy Burnham is the Mayor of Greater Manchester He is a former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister so he has extensive experience inside Westminster Hes commenting as a prominent regional leader and a critic of the current political culture in London
2 What is the license to lie controversy about
It stems from a recent byelection where Conservative Party insiders are alleged to have spread misleading information or lies about their opponent Burnham is arguing that theres a toxic culture where political operatives in Westminster feel they can spread falsehoods without serious consequence to win elections
3 What exactly did Andy Burnham say
He stated that people working at the heart of government in Westminster are not given a license to lie He was condemning the alleged behaviour and calling for higher standards in political discourse
4 What is a byelection
A byelection is a special election held to fill a single parliamentary seat that becomes vacant between general elections for example if an MP resigns or passes away They are often seen as a key test of public opinion on the current government
5 Is he accusing someone specific of lying
While commenting on a specific byelection controversy his criticism is broader He is condemning a perceived culture and practice among political insiders and operatives rather than naming one individual
Advanced Contextual Questions
6 Why is Burnhams criticism considered significant
Because he is a senior figure within the Labour Party but more importantly he is positioning himself as a voice for integrity and contrasting the Westminster bubble with regional leadership It reinforces his political brand as a straighttalker
7 What does this say about the current state of UK political campaigning
It highlights ongoing concerns about dirty tricks misinformation and the erosion of trust It suggests that some believe winning at any cost including through deception has become normalized in certain circles
8 What are the potential consequences of this license to lie culture
The main consequences are a further loss of public trust in politicians and democratic institutions increased voter cynicism and a coarsening of political debate where facts
