Monday, May 18, 2026
Labour split on the European Union
The paper says that Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last week in protest at Keir Starmer’s leadership, kicked off a war of words after he argued on Saturday that Britain’s future lay back in the EU:
After the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, dismissed his comments as odd, Streeting’s allies hit back, saying the government’s lack of willingness to discuss the issue was symptomatic of why it is so unpopular.
The row is an indication of the divisions within Labour as the party heads into a byelection in Makerfield that could determine the fate of the entire government.
It began when Streeting said: “In 2026, the British people increasingly see that in a dangerous world we must club together, both to rebuild our economy and trade, and improve our defence against the shared threats from Russian aggression and America First.
“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 also said he intended to stand in a leadership contest if one was triggered, as is likely if the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, wins in Makerfield and then challenges the prime minister.
Nandy, however, criticised Streeting’s comments on Sunday. She told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I actually think this is just a bit odd. I listened to what Wes had to say very carefully yesterday, and I know that he’s got a strong view about this, and always has had, that we shouldn’t have left the European Union.
“Frankly, that’s one that I share. I campaigned for remain, I think it [Brexit] was a mistake, and I think the Brexit deal has been a real problem for us. But I don’t really understand why the sudden focus on Europe.
“We’re already, as a government, trying to repair in a pragmatic way the needless damage that was done by that poor Brexit deal to people’s living standards in towns like mine, without reopening the circular arguments that we ended up in as a country.”
Streeting allies promptly hit back, saying Nandy’s unwillingness to talk about EU membership was a symptom of a wider reluctance to take political risks, which they argue is one of the reasons Starmer is so unpopular and may face a leadership battle within weeks.
“There is no point in trying not to upset anybody, that’s what got us into this problem,” said one. “Sometimes you have to be willing to upset people to get things done.”
The timing of this row is interesting. With Andy Burnham set to contest the Makerfield by-election, an area that voted overwhelmingly for Reform, anything that suggests leading Labour figures want to unravel Brexit could well impact on his campaign. I'm sure Wes Streeting had no intention of that happening.
