Wes Streeting delivered a powerful speech this weekend in London. Speaking in his first public appearance since resigning from the cabinet, he told an event in London, organised by Progress, a group seen as being on the right of the Labour Party that “leaving the European Union was a catastrophic mistake”.
Confirming again that he would be a candidate to replace the Prime Minister, Mr Streeting slammed Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, saying it had been over cautious when formulating policies in opposition.
He said the party had been “too afraid of what the Tories might say” but must now deal with “the big issues that define our age”.
And in a surprise move, he put Brexit at the top of the list, saying, “it has left us less wealthy, less powerful, and less in control than at any point since before the Industrial Revolution”.
“The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep. We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union,” he added.
By labelling Brexit a “catastrophic mistake” and explicitly calling for the UK to rejoin the European Union, he hopes to set out some clear blue water between himself and other leadership contenders.
However, his intervention sparked immediate reactions from Labour’s political opponents, but also ignited a full-blown civil war between rival groups within the Labour Party.
While the metropolitan, university-educated base of the party has been waiting years for a senior figure to say the “quiet part” out loud, the strategic timing of the intervention suggests a much more Machiavellian intent. This wasn’t just a speech about trade deficits and regulatory alignment; it was a tactical landmine planted squarely in the path of his biggest rival: Andy Burnham.
While Streeting was basking in the applause of the Progress crowd, Andy Burnham was, and is, fighting a very different battle. The “King of the North” is currently attempting to secure his return to Parliament via the Makerfield by-election. On paper, it should be a safe enough bet, but Makerfield is a constituency that voted 65 per cent to leave the EU in 2016 and in the recent council elections, Nigel Farage’s Reform Party won a series of stunning victories.
For some in Burnham’s camp, Streeting’s pro-EU pivot is seen as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the Mayor’s campaign. If Burnham mirrors Streeting’s “Rejoin” rhetoric, he risks alienating the very Leave-voting constituents he needs to win over. If he rejects it, he risks looking like a yesterday’s man to the increasingly Europhile Labour membership who will eventually vote in a leadership contest. It is a classic “wedge” issue, and Streeting has driven it in with professional precision.
Burnham’s response has been what some are calling a “strategic retreat.” While he has historically been pro-EU, he has spent the last 48 hours distancing himself from the immediacy of Streeting’s demands. Burnham’s camp has let it be known they are “furious,” accusing Streeting of prioritising his personal brand over the party’s ability to hold onto its northern heartlands. Burnham is sticking to the long-term aspiration line, essentially telling voters, that we might rejoin but its not a priority.
The fallout hasn’t been limited to the two frontrunners. The Cabinet is currently resembling a pressure cooker with the lid rattling. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary and a figure often associated with the party’s “soft-left”, didn’t mince her words. She described Streeting’s intervention as “odd” and accused him of “reopening old wounds” at a time when the country and the party needed to focus on domestic delivery.
Nandy’s frustration is shared by many who feel that Labour’s hard-won credibility on “making Brexit work” is being incinerated for the sake of a leadership beauty contest. David Lammy was even more blunt, telling the BBC, “Our position was set out in a manifesto voted on by the British people… that was just 22 months ago. There will be another opportunity at the next election.
“We have to get on and deliver on their behalf, and I say to colleagues, 10 days of this, fine. I think the British people will forgive us for the introspection. Ten weeks of this, and we’re in desperate trouble. We’ll be out of office, and what we’ll be ushering in is Farage.”
The irony, of course, is that most in the upper echelons of the party agree with Streeting’s underlying sentiment. Most Labour MPs believe Brexit has been an economic drag. The row isn’t about if they should rejoin, but when and how they should talk about it. By forcing the conversation now, Streeting has effectively ended the “don’t mention the war” era of Labour policy.
As the row in Labour erupted, Nigel Farage and the Reform UK machine will undoubtedly push the “Brexit betrayal” narrative with massive leafleting and social media blitz in Makerfield. Their messaging strengthened by Burnham’s past EU-friendly remarks.
While the Conservative stuck the boot in, with the Party Chairman, Kevin Hollinrake, calling the remarks “another distraction… at a time when families and businesses want the government focused on the cost of living, the economy, public services and Britain’s defence”.
As the Makerfield by-election approaches, the tension is unlikely to dissipate. The “Rejoiner Row” has exposed a fundamental rift in Labour’s identity. Is it a party of pragmatic management, slowly tweaking a broken system, or is it a party of radical reversal? For now, the only thing that’s certain is that the truce is over. The trench warfare has begun, and the “B-word” is back with a vengeance.
In just a month, as the result of the Makerfield by-election becomes clear, we will see if Streeting’s gamble has paid off or if he has “accidentally” handed the keys to Reform UK. One thing is for sure: the Labour leadership battle looks set to get louder, messier, and a very public fight for the soul of the party.
Wes Streeting ignites war of words over EU membership
