Streeting breaks ranks with Starmer as he calls for Britain to join customs union with EU
Government sources have accused Streeting of 'setting out his stall' for a leadership bid
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has broken ranks with the Government as he appeared to back joining a customs union with the European Union.
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Streeting, who has been touted as a potential challenger to Sir Keir Starmer, said having closer ties with the EU would give Labour a distinctive message to take on Reform at the next election.
It comes after a poll revealed 80 per cent of Labour voters, 78 per cent of Lib Dems and 75 per cent of Greens backed joining a customs union with the bloc.
Downing Street has dismissed Streeting’s suggestion, reiterating that Sir Keir is sticking to his “red lines” with the EU.
Government sources speaking to the Times, meanwhile, accused Streeting of “setting out his stall” for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir.
Speaking to the Observer, Streeting said: “We’re not going to win the next election by trying to out-Reform Reform.
“That’s not who we are. Those aren’t our values and we’ve got to beat them, not join them.”
He added: “The reason why leaving the EU hit us so hard as a country is because of the enormous economic benefits that came with being in the single market and the customs union.
“This is a country and a government that wants a closer trading relationship with Europe.”
Streeting noted that closer economic ties do not mean a return to freedom of movement.
These comments have reportedly been seen by Downing Street as a clear attempt to establish Streeting as an alternative to Sir Keir.
“It is not even subtle,” a source told the Times.
“Wes is setting out his stall for the leadership and there is nothing No 10 can do about it.”
The Prime Minister’s spokesman referred to Sir Keir’s speech in early December when he said the UK had “redefined our bond with the EU” but is “sticking to our red lines” with the bloc.
“We have been very open about the need to reset our relationship with the EU and strengthen that relationship while sticking to our red lines, and that position has been consistent,” he said.
Put to him that Sir Keir’s Cabinet does not seem to be aligned on this issue, the spokesman said: “I think what the Cabinet has been very clear on is that there is a need to reset our relationship with the EU, that is what Prime Minister and the Cabinet have been working on over the last 12 months.”
Asked if Sir Keir Starmer was happy with his Cabinet speaking on issues outside of their brief, he said the Prime Minister was “very happy with his Cabinet”.
“They’re getting on with the important work of driving down the cost of living, targeting growth and turning renewal into reality for the year ahead.”
Streeting, for his part, has denied wanting the job of PM.
“The closer I see that job and the pressure on Keir and the demands of that job, the more I wonder why anyone would want it,” he said on Sunday,
It comes after Labour Chairwoman told LBC Sir Keir “absolutely” be Prime Minister come next Christmas.
Speaking to LBC’s Lewis Goodall, Anna Turley said she is “absolutely confident” Sir Keir will make it to the end of next year as she defended Labour’s record in Government.
When pressed on Sir Keir’s historically low polling numbers, Ms Turley, MP for Redcar, insisted the entire Labour Party is behind the PM.
“I know we all live in a very kind of impatient world, but the reality is anyone who has taken over as Prime Minister had a job to do to turn things around,” she told Lewis.
“We are starting to see and feel that now and there is a team behind him. We've made real, tangible change.”
The Tories have hit out at Streeting’s comments, accusing him of ignoring the NHS in favour of a leadership bid.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Instead of focusing on running the health service, Wes Streeting is busy courting left-wing, pro-EU Labour Party members — now even floating the idea of dragging Britain back into the EU’s customs union.
“Patients and NHS staff deserve a Health Secretary focused on delivery, not political pitch-making.”
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice MP said: “Starmer’s so-called ‘reset’ deal was already a shameful betrayal of what people voted for in 2016 and now we’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth – Labour Remoaners like Wes Streeting will not be satisfied until every valuable Brexit freedom is surrendered directly to Brussels.”