Wes Streeting Confirms He Will Run for Labour Leadership if Contest Is Triggered Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, has announced he will enter a Labour leadership race if one is triggered, emphasizing the need for a “proper contest” to determine the party’s next leader. Speaking at a conference organized by the Progress thinktank, Streeting outlined his vision for the party, including a call for a “new special relationship” with the European Union and a critique of Keir Starmer’s leadership style. His remarks come amid growing tensions within the Labour Party over its direction and strategy. Streeting argued that the UK’s departure from the EU was a “catastrophic mistake” and suggested a closer ties with Europe could help “rebuild our economy and trade” while improving defense against shared threats like Russian aggression and “America First” policies. He also warned against allowing “siren voices” to dominate Labour’s approach to the next general election, urging the party to avoid “out Reform” or “out Green” tactics. Streeting criticized the spread of misinformation online, accusing the country of “handing the pen to tech moguls in Silicon Valley to write our future for us” and calling for a return to democratic control over national direction. The former health secretary also condemned what he described as Starmer’s “heavy-handed” leadership culture, which he claimed stifled creative policy thinking in government. He criticized Labour’s first two years in power, stating the party “arrived in government underprepared in too many areas and lacking clarity of vision and direction.” Streeting highlighted the impact of antisemitism within the party, arguing it left little room for intellectual renewal or policy debate on the centre-left.#keir_starmer #wes_streeting #tommy_robotson #andy_burnham #progress_thinktank
