A fresh row has erupted within the Labour Party after former health secretary Wes Streeting argued that Britain should eventually rejoin the European Union, prompting a sharp rebuke from Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. Streeting, who resigned from the government on Thursday, made the case for eventual EU membership during a Saturday interview, saying Britain's future lay with Europe.
Nandy dismissed Streeting's comments as 'odd' during an appearance on the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg programme on Sunday. While she acknowledged that Brexit was a mistake and that the government was working to repair damage, she questioned the timing of the focus on EU membership. 'I don't really understand why the sudden focus on Europe,' she said.
Streeting's allies immediately hit back, accusing Nandy and the government of a reluctance to take political risks. One ally said: 'There is no point in trying not to upset anybody, that's what got us into this problem. Sometimes you have to be willing to upset people to get things done.' They argued that the lack of willingness to discuss EU membership was symptomatic of the government's unpopularity.
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor expected to stand as Labour candidate in the upcoming Makerfield byelection, also weighed in. He said there was a 'long-term case' for rejoining the EU but stressed he was not advocating it in the byelection campaign. Burnham has declared his intention to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership if he wins the seat.
The row underscores deep divisions within Labour as the party heads into the crucial Makerfield contest, which could determine the fate of Starmer's leadership. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the infighting, calling it 'a sign of the Labour party that does not have a plan for the country' and accusing them of wanting to 'refight wars which were settled a long time ago.'
