A Merseyside MP has refuted reports he could stand aside for Andy Burnham.
Peter Dowd was elected to represent Bootle in 2015 and previously served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.
But a national newspaper alleged the 68-year-old would be willing to give up his seat to allow Burnham to return to Parliament despite being blocked by the party.
Labour’s ruling commitee prevented the Greater Manchester mayor from standing for them in the Gorton and Denton by-election, which was won by the Green Party.
Burnham is still seen in some quarters as a viable challenger to Sir Keir Starmer with the prime minister facing ongoing scrutiny over his future as Labour leader.
However Mr Dowd shot down suggestions that he is considering stepping down to allow the Aintree-born politician a clear run at one of the UK’s safest political seats.
“I was elected to represent and serve the people of the Bootle constituency at the last election and intend to continue doing so”, he told BBC Radio Merseyside.