Sky's Sophy Ridge Compares Andy Burnham's Leadership Ambitions To Voldemort In Harry Potter

Sky News’ Sophy Ridge has torn the government apart for refusing to publicly address its concerns over Andy Burnham’s leadership ambitions.

The mayor of Greater Manchester tried to put himself forward as a potential Labour candidate for the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election over the weekend but the party’s ruling body blocked him.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) said it would be too costly to allow Burnham to run as it would also trigger a mayoral by-election.

Government critics claim Keir Starmer – who was one of those who voted to block Burnham – also wanted to stop the former MP returning to Westminster and mounting a leadership challenge.

Sky News presenter Ridge put that accusation to Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander.

When asked why Burnham was snubbed, the senior MP replied: “The judgement was there would be a lot of time, a lot of energy and a lot of resource to what would be judged to be an unnecessary contest at a time when we are facing critical elections in Scotland.”

Ridge hit back: “You’re missing out a very key reason here aren’t you?”

“Tell me,” he said after a pause.

“You’re missing out the fact that Andy Burnham might challenge Keir Starmer for the leadership,” she said. “I know it, you know it, everyone watching knows it. Why won’t you say it?”

Alexander replied: “My own judgement was that this was more about focus rather than factionalism.”

Ridge hit back: “I don’t want to move on until we’ve had the honesty that one of the key reasons in this is because you didn’t want Andy Burnham to challenge Keir Starmer for the leadership. That’s true, isn’t it?”

Alexander said that he understand there was discussions about “future scenarios”, including an “unnecessary by-election” and “psychodrama”.

Ridge replied: “Why won’t you say the words? It’s like Voldemort and Harry Potter. You won’t say something because you’re scared of it.

“This is about Andy Burnham being a challenge for the leadership. It’s not going to put a killing curse on you, just say the words. That’s why isn’t it?”

Alexander said: “Andy has signalled very clearly his ambition to lead the Labour Party in the future, I think that’s a perfectly honourable ambition.

“The National Executive Committee reached a judgement that the time is not right for Andy to come back to Westminster, not least because he’s only served two of his four years in his second term as Manchester mayor.”

The NEC’s move has already triggered major backlash within Labour and the party looks to be on the cusp of civil war. 

Burnham released a statement on Sunday after the NEC result, saying he was “disappointed” and “concerned” about how the decision would impact future results.

A few minutes later, he added: “The fact that the media was informed of the NEC decision before I was tells you everything you need to know about the way the Labour Party is being run these days.”

The Labour mayor later claimed that the party were now more likely to lose a by-election because of this result.