Streeting urges Starmer to go further on Brexit as leadership speculation swirls

LONDON — Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Sir Keir Starmer must go further to undo Brexit, adding pressure on the Prime Minister amid ongoing leadership speculation within Labour. In an interview with The Observer, Streeting said rejoining the EU's customs union should be on the table and that any partnership with Europe must not entail a return to freedom of movement. He stressed that Labour's goal should be a closer trading relationship with the bloc, while avoiding a policy that mirrors full EU membership on migration.

Streeting argued that the decision to leave the EU hit the UK hard economically and that the country would benefit from being back inside the single market and customs union. He cited the economic costs of Brexit and suggested that a reorientation toward Europe would be prudent for workers and businesses alike, while warning that any deal should not restore freedom of movement. He noted that the government has said it would remain outside the customs union and single market, with no return to freedom of movement, even as Starmer has moved closer to the EU by striking a revised trade deal in May that included concessions on red tape and fishing.

Streeting acknowledged that Starmer has already shifted toward closer European engagement, pointing to the May trade agreement as a signal of Labour's pragmatic approach. He said the revised deal is a positive step but warned there is more to be done if the UK is to secure deeper economic ties with Brussels without reinstating freedom of movement. In parallel, he expressed concern about taxation levels in the country, saying, "I've taken a massive economic hit leaving the European Union. I'm really uncomfortable with the level of taxation in this country."

The remarks come as Labour faces renewed leadership speculation. Streeting has refused to rule out a future leadership bid, telling Sky News last month that reports he intends to challenge the Prime Minister are unfounded and that the briefing surrounding him is "not true" and "totally self-defeating." He argued that internal party debates should be addressed through process and unity rather than factional plots, a stance that did not quell the note of intrigue surrounding the party's next steps.

Meanwhile, reports about leadership dynamics have circulated in several outlets. The Times said Starmer is actively courting backbenchers to shore up support as Labour contemplates its post-Brexit direction. Separately, The Mail on Sunday cited sources claiming Angela Rayner has agreed to back Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in a leadership bid in exchange for her old role as deputy prime minister and a senior Cabinet post. Burnham has been scouring for a safe Commons seat, with discussions reportedly touching on Liverpool MPs and various northern constituencies, though one ally said talks with a Liverpool candidate did not advance.

Andrew Gwynne, the suspended Labour MP, has added another layer of complexity to the leadership map by saying he does not plan to stand down. Sources said Burnham's camp has looked at Dan Carden of Liverpool Walton as a potential entry point for Burnham, but those discussions reportedly did not progress. Taken together, the reporting highlights a party weighing both Brexit policy reversals and internal leadership dynamics as it prepares for possible contests.

The evolving narrative underscores Labour's challenge in balancing calls for closer ties with Europe against the realities of internal party politics and the timetable for any leadership contest. Streeting's comments reflect a faction within Labour pressing for more explicit moves to undo Brexit, while others call for a measured approach that preserves unity and addresses electoral considerations ahead of any formal leadership decisions.