Wes Streeting has sparked a Labour row after calling for Britain to rejoin the EU, with allies of Andy Burnham accusing the former health secretary of undermining the Greater Manchester mayor’s leadership ambitions ahead of the crucial Makerfield by-election.
Streeting described Brexit as a “catastrophic mistake”, adding: “Britain’s future lies with Europe, and one day back in the European Union.”
Burnham supporters told The Times the intervention risked handing Reform UK a major campaign issue in the Leave-voting constituency, which Burnham must win to be eligible to contest the Labour leadership.
A senior government told the newspaper: “I despair. It’s like a gift to Farage. What Wes did reeks of desperation and selfishness.”
Nigel Farage said Reform would make Brexit and immigration central to the campaign, describing the contest as “a choice between Reform, who want to stay outside of the EU, control immigration and deport all illegals, and Labour, who want to rejoin the EU and open the borders.”