Westminster insiders “do not get a licence to lie”, said Andy Burnham on Thursday, in an angry swipe at the political briefing culture in the House of Commons. During a phone-in with BBC Radio Manchester, Burnham said since his time in government he had witnessed people who “just think they can say what they like” to the media. The fallout of Starmer and the NEC’s decision to block Burnham has continued to reverberate this week. A No 10 spokesperson denied that anyone close to Starmer had told Burnham the NEC would refuse his application. As I say, I think it could have created a more positive path for everybody, including the prime minister, including the government.”