Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner does not want Andy Burnham to be blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, the BBC understands.

As first reported in The Times, Rayner is expected to publicly make her annoucnement at Labour's north west regional conference on Saturday.

If Burnham did contest and win the by-election in Greater Manchester, it would enable him to mount a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer.

The BBC has been told that some of Sir Keir's supporters on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) will seek to block him from standing.

The Greater Manchester mayor has until 5pm on Saturday to let the NEC know if he wants to stand or not - and he will find out on Sunday whether he will be allowed to.

Under Labour rules, elected mayors must seek permission from the NEC before seeking nomination as Labour Parliamentary candidates.

The by-election could happen as early as next month after ex-Labour minister Andrew Gwynne formally resigned from the House of Commons, saying he had been advised by his GP not to return to work.

Burnham has not said if he will go for the seat, telling reporters on Thursday that he was "focused" on his role as Manchester mayor and that people shouldn't "rush to conclusions".

He has since refused requests for interviews.