Sources close to the PM tell me that Andy Burnham was informed in no uncertain terms that he would be repulsed if he requested permission of the NEC committee to put his name forward for the Gorton and Denton by election. He chose to do so, they say, knowing the outcome in advance. They therefore interpret his application as an explicit attempt to destabilise Starmer and sow dissent, rather than - which he claims - see off the threat from Reform. Per contra Burnham and his supporters accuse Starmer and the NEC committee of an anti democratic stitch-up. These supporters include the MP signatories of a letter I talked about on ITV Evening News yesterday. It says “there is no legitimate reason why Andy Burnham should not have the democratic right to put his candidacy to the local people of Gorton and Denton.” They also argue that the standoff between Burnham and Starmer “risks playing into the kind of division and disunity that Nigel Farage and Reform thrive on.” That is a statement of the bleedin’ obvious. What will be contested is whether the prime culprit is the PM or the Manchester mayor.

A senior Oxford historian @RobertGildea has now said it plainly: Britain 🇬🇧 needs a public inquiry into Brexit and it could be the pathway to rejoining the EU. His core points are devastating: 🔹 Brexit failed to control immigration – replacing EU workers with asylum hotels and losing our right to return people to Europe. 🔹 Brexit choked trade, investment and labour, leaving the UK economy stuck at the bottom. 🔹 The EU has a functioning asylum pact. Britain, alone, has nothing. 🔹 57% of voters now want to go back. He argues that a full public inquiry would finally expose Farage’s lies, reset the national story, and make it politically possible for Labour to lead Britain back into Europe. In other words: The truth is now a rejoin strategy. theguardian.com/politics/202…

Can we show Jess Phillips some love? ❤️ She works tirelessly for women and families #LoveJess Say it twice #LoveJess

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans not allowed to attend Aston Villa UEFA Europa match due to safety concerns. This is what happened last time the genocidal racist violent hooligans visited Europe @pularjs

"You should never overestimate the extent to which the BBC changed this country by giving endless airtime to Nigel Farage, other far right extremists and the Tufton Street junktanks, while shutting out progressive voices." – George Monbiot

It is wholly right that Peter Mandelson has been sacked as ambassador to the US. He should now be removed from the House of Lords too. My statement 👇

Lord George Foulkes has slamed the BBC for its coverage of the current political landscape and its persistent platforming of @Nigel_Farage's Reform party while laser focusing on Angela Ryner's tax affairs @GeorgeFoulkes