Dreaming of the Labor leadership post – entering the sensitive EU debate

Jenny Martorell

Updated 10.23 | Published 06.39

Labor politicians want to return to the EU.

Parts of the British people definitely don't want that.

Wes Streeting dreams of becoming party leader – and is betting everything on a “Breturn”.

When Wes Streeting announced his resignation as health minister in Keir Starmer's government earlier this week, British media sources were convinced that he wanted to challenge the prime minister for the Labor leadership post.

They were right.

On Saturday, Streeting confirmed that he would stand as a party leadership candidate if the opportunity arose. In connection with the announcement, he also said something that made many people raise their eyebrows:

It was a "catastrophic mistake" to leave the EU - and Britain should "one day" rejoin the union. The problem is that many of Labour's potential voters are against joining the EU.

- In a way, it's not so strange, says political scientist Nicholas Aylott about Streeting's statement.

          

         Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting. Photo: Stefan Rousseau / AP

Doesn't want to mention Brexit

The vast majority of those who can actually elect him as party leader - namely Labor politicians and party members - were completely against Brexit and would love to rejoin the EU.

- The problem for Labor is that to win an election they need to win back a large part of the electorate, which is probably still for Brexit, says Nicholas Aylott.

          

          Wes Streeting. Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/TT/AP

The current line to win back support for the Social Democratic Party is to try to avoid discussions about Brexit.

The issue is too, and whatever stance Labor takes, it risks scaring away voters.

Streeting ignores that.

- His priority is internal. He wants to appear as a serious and popular candidate within the party. He can solve the voters later, according to his perspective.

          

          Nicholas Aylott, political scientist. Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT

What do his party colleagues think of Streeting?

- He lacks support within the party. The polls suggest that there is almost no chance for him to defeat Andy Burnham, the big favorite right now, or the candidates on the party's left.

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who can attract both the right and left factions within Labour, has a more cautious strategy. Burnham hopes that Britain will rejoin the EU "in his lifetime," he said on Saturday.

- The difference between him and Streeting is that Burnham is much closer to being party leader and thus prime minister. This means that he cannot afford to ignore the voters and their preferences, says Nicholas Aylott.