Labour must avoid ‘psychodrama’, says Mahmood, as NEC meets to decide if Burnham can stand

Home secretary is chair of party’s NEC, which will decide if Greater Manchester mayor can seek return to parliament

Labour must do all it can to avoid a “psychodrama” over Andy Burnham’s possible return to parliament, Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has said.

Mahmood is chair of Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), which was due to meet later on Sunday to decide whether Burnham should be allowed to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton byelection, which would involve him giving up his Greater Manchester mayoralty.