Wes Streeting has confirmed he will stand for the Labour leadership if a contest is triggered, calling for a “proper contest” to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. The former health secretary outlined his platform at a Progress thinktank conference, including a push for a “new special relationship” with the EU and eventual rejoining of the trade bloc.
Streeting criticised Starmer’s “heavy-handed” leadership culture, which he said stifled policy debate. He described the winter fuel cut as a “catastrophe” and said Labour arrived in government “underprepared” and lacking “clarity of vision”. He argued that the party had not held a true debate on direction since the Corbyn era, partly due to the antisemitism crisis.
On Europe, Streeting called Brexit a “catastrophic mistake” and said closer EU ties would help rebuild the economy, trade and defence against threats from Russia and “America First”. He also warned against trying to “out Reform” Reform UK or “out Green” the Greens, and criticised misinformation online, urging the country to “take the pen back” from tech moguls.
Streeting addressed the Unite the Kingdom march organised by Tommy Robinson, claiming ministers were given a script to “explain” rather than condemn the march. He described recent racism as unseen since the 1970s and 80s. He also said he would support Andy Burnham in the Makerfield byelection, but insisted a leadership contest before Burnham could participate would “lack legitimacy”.
