A Divisive Move in Labour Leadership Race
Wes Streeting's recent call for Britain to rejoin the European Union has created a challenging situation for Andy Burnham, particularly in the Makerfield constituency. This area, where the Manchester mayor is aiming to defend against Nigel Farage's Reform UK in the upcoming June 18 election, saw 65% of local voters support Brexit in the 2016 referendum. With outgoing Labour MP Josh Simons having secured a narrow majority of just 5,300, Burnham may not be pleased with the attention being drawn to his anti-Brexit stance.
For Streeting to have any chance of winning the leadership contest, he must focus on southern, Remain-supporting voters who are increasingly shifting towards the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats. He views pro-Brexit Red Wall seats in the North and Midlands as a lost cause. However, Burnham cannot afford such a perspective if he wants to win Makerfield, return to the Commons, and eventually claim No 10.
Government sources, unaffiliated with any leadership camp, have expressed frustration over Streeting's intervention. One source stated, "Wes claims to be a unifying force, but he has done this for his pure, selfish ambition." As Streeting confirmed his intention to stand in the contest to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader, he emphasized that leaving the European Union was a catastrophic mistake.
He argued, "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, one day back in the European Union."
Following Streeting's announcement, Nigel Farage commented, "The North will be lost to Labour for ever." A Whitehall source noted, "In the local election, voters sent a clear message: they are frustrated with a political system they no longer feel serves them. Wes's response? To attempt to reopen the most divisive debate in modern British politics and say that he would turn the next general election into a de facto second referendum."
This approach, according to the source, is not leadership but rather a desperate act of self-interest and a betrayal of Labour values. Another source added, "This is the one policy that uniquely serves to divide Britain and Wes has reached for it straight away. It looks like he seeks to impose five years of misery on the country."
They continued, "He claims to be a uniting leader but his first impactful thing has been to choose something to divide the country. This is a desperate attempt to shore up support based on identity politics and a culture war which frankly most people gave up on many years ago. Student politics."
Streeting addressed supporters at a fringe Labour event, stating that any move towards rejoining the EU would require a fresh mandate from the public. He said, "We do have to respect the fact that we left the European Union through a democratic choice, so we will need to, in future manifestos, seek a new mandate."
He also mentioned that he would be "proud to campaign for Andy Burnham" in the by-election, emphasizing the need to deliver the change people wanted to see. Streeting added, "We've got to make sure we deliver the change people wanted to see, that we go into the next election with an equally bold and ambitious plan."
He attempted to frame his campaign as a contest of ideas rather than personalities, stating, "We need a proper contest where all candidates can put their best foot forward. It's got to be a battle of ideas, so that whoever wins comes out strong before it."
Acknowledging the threat posed by Farage, Streeting said, "For the first time in Labour's history, our biggest opponents aren't the Conservatives, but Nigel Farage and Reform. Scottish and Welsh nationalism represents an existential threat to the future integrity of our entire country, but the English nationalism represented by Farage and Reform is a threat to the values and ideals that have made this country great."
He concluded by noting that progressives understand this threat and want Labour to confront it, but they are increasingly losing faith in the party's ability to rise to the challenge.
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