Streeting vows to join Labour leadership bid as Burnham pledges to 'save' party
Streeting vows to join Labour leadership bid as Burnham pledges to 'save' party
Streeting confirms he’d enter a leadership contest while Burnham signals a bid to rescue Labour, as the party faces a high-stakes leadership crisis.
Wes Streeting has signaled he would enter any potential Labour leadership contest, days after resigning as health secretary and telling the prime minister he had lost confidence in him. He said there must be a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and that he would be standing. Streeting also argued that leaving the European Union had been a catastrophic mistake and that the UK should one day rejoin the bloc.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has told the BBC he is seeking to stand in the Makerfield by-election to save the Labour Party. He said the vote should be a moment to reclaim the party and to save it from where it’s been, with an eye on replacing the current leadership should he be selected as the party’s candidate and win. The leadership question looms large as the prime minister resists calls to step down amid Labour’s recent election losses.
As the party weighs its options, Streeting has noted his support in the parliamentary party but cautioned against rushing a contest, arguing that giving Burnham space to stand would be essential for a fair fight. He stressed that the field needs to be the best one possible, and that the contest should be conducted with the seriousness the moment deserves.
The discussions come as Labour prepares for a broader reckoning of its direction and message, with contenders assessing how to unite the party while pushing for changes that could appeal to voters who swung away in recent elections. Streeting’s stance on Brexit and Burnham’s call to “save” Labour highlight two competing responses to a party searching for a path forward in a challenging political climate.
