ANDY Burnham today insisted his by-election bid was about “fighting Reform” — not “undermining” Sir Keir Starmer. In his first interview since being blocked from standing in Gorton and Denton, the Manchester Mayor said he was “uniquely positioned” to take on Nigel Farage — but has “accepted” Labour’s National Executive Committee decision to bar him. But it also served as a strategic block on the Manchester Mayor using a Commons seat to quietly fuel a leadership push. Mr Burnham said he put himself forward after the by-election was called because he “can’t ignore events going on more broadly”. Earlier this week Reform announced television presenter Matt Goodwin would stand for Mr Farage’s party.