Zarah Sultana just skewered Andy Burnham as he bids to win Gorton and Denton

Andy Burnham has announced his intent to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election.

I have today written to the Chair of Labour’s National Executive Committee seeking permission to enter the selection process for a candidate for the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

Read my letter here.👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/TwKgADsuSB

— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) January 24, 2026

Simultaneously, Your Party MP Zarah Sultana has called him out for his part in the New Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. It comes as people are questioning what Your Party intend to do about the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

Burnham for Gorton and Denton

Sultana said the following about Burnham:

Andy Burnham played a key role in privatising our NHS while serving as Health Secretary.

Andy Burnham voted for the 2003 Iraq War — an illegal invasion that led to the deaths of over a million Iraqis.

Andy Burnham was a member of Labour Friends of Israel, an apartheid state that has committed genocide against the Palestinian people.

Gorton and Denton deserves a genuinely socialist MP — one who doesn’t vote for illegal wars, stands in solidarity with Palestine and is proudly anti-Zionist.

While the main political parties are yet to announce who they will stand, the rumours suggest that each one could put forward a big name:

If the rumours are right, then this might be the highest profile by-election in modern political history.

Candidates who are rumoured to run in Gorton and Denton:

LAB🌹: Andy Burnham
RFM➡️: Zia Yusuf
WPB⚙️: George Galloway
GRN🟢: Zack Polanski pic.twitter.com/ejKBU4FdYj

— Marwan🇲🇦🇬🇧 (@MarwanData) January 23, 2026

Sultana isn’t the only leftist to call out Burnham’s track record:

Andy Burnham is not the answer

Another suit. He supported the attack on Iraq. He privatised the NHS

Labour is dead

The whole institution is a trick to make sure nothing changes pic.twitter.com/n7GSeLjDRh

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) September 25, 2025

As we reported earlier today, Starmer’s allies are opposed to Burnham standing to be the MP for Gorton and Denton. It’s widely speculated that he will launch a leadership challenge against Starmer should he be elected.

The PM himself said the following when asked about a potential leadership challenge:

My message is to my entire party, and is that every minute we waste talking about anything other than the cost of living and stability in Europe and across the globe is a wasted minute

A challenge is seen as likely due to Starmer’s historically low favourability ratings:

🚨 Latest Opinium @ObserverUK poll 🚨

Keir Starmer’s approval rating has fallen to net -46, his joint lowest score ever.

It matches Theresa May’s historic low in May 2019.

A difficult start to 2026 for the prime minister. pic.twitter.com/x6Lv9UElk2

— Opinium (@OpiniumResearch) January 10, 2026

Featured image via Roger Harris