Burnham-Streeting latest: Streeting reopening Brexit wars by calling for UK return to EU ‘a bit odd,’ says Nandy

Speculation about a Labour leadership contest has been “froth and nonsense”, a senior Cabinet minister has said.

Lisa Nandy was asked on Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips whether she believed Sir Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister by the summer holidays.

The Culture Secretary replied: “No, I don’t.

“I have spoken to the Prime Minister several times over the last week and he was very clear with the Cabinet on Tuesday that if people want to challenge him there is a process for doing that, there is a way to trigger a leadership contest, to be leader of the Labour Party and to succeed him as Prime Minister.

“Nobody has done that yet, despite the absolute feverish speculation.

“Every hour on the hour for the last week I’ve read that Wes Streeting was about to launch a challenge; that Andy Burnham was about to contest every seat in Greater Manchester, including my own; that Angela Rayner was written off, that Angela Rayner was now challenging; and most of it has turned out to be just froth and nonsense.

“We’ve got to get on with the job.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is only popular because he “hasn’t had to do anything”.

Responding to questions on whether Mr Burnham might be a “real threat” if he becomes Labour leader, Mrs Badenoch told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “He’s only popular because he hasn’t had to do anything.

“Politics is about making difficult decisions. As soon as he comes in and realises there’s no money to throw about, he’s going to become unpopular.

“Andy Burnham is talking about increasing borrowing. That’s going to hit everybody’s mortgages, that’s going to hit borrowing costs for this country.

“It’s going to put billions on debt interest – you’ll be paying a Burnham premium. I do not think that that’s going to make it popular at all.”

Now that Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham have both effectively thrown their hats into the ring for a possible Labour leadership contest, their allies have been making the case for their man to replace Keir Starmer.

Here we take a look at who they are – and why they are supporting their candidate.

Wes Streeting’s online post about supposed improvements in the NHS under Labour was fact-checked by Community Notes on X.

The former health secretary, who launched his bid to Labour leadership on Saturday, wrote: “NHS waiting lists are falling, ambulances are arriving faster, there are more GPs, and higher patient satisfaction. Lots done, lots to do.”

This was fact-checked as users added context in response to the post, pointing out that: “While the waiting list has started to go down, unreported removals have gone up (Figure 3). In fact, they have repeatedly outnumbered the additional incomplete referrals that join the waiting list every month.”

Jess Phillips said former health secretary and potential Labour leadership contender Wes Streeting showed “bravery and boldness” in government.

She told the BBC: “He once said to me that the process of me writing the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy felt a little bit like me hanging him upside down by his ankles and shaking out his pockets, but the reality is, he stepped up and he got the right people to do the right thing.

“So there’s one example of where I found him very forthcoming.

“Now, the Prime Minister does definitely care about violence against women and girls, don’t get me wrong, but what I see from Wes is bravery and boldness.”

Allies of Andy Burnham have supported him not joining Wes Streeting’s calls for Britain to rejoin the European Union.

Burnham ally, Lisa Nandy, said Labour should avoid “reopening the Brexit wars”, likening it to saying “life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there”.

Connor Naismith, the Labour MP for Crewe & Nantwich, also is supportive of Burnham making domestic issues the priority for Britain and “not restarting a debate about Europe”.

After resigning as health secretary last week, Wes Streeting called for Britain to rejoin the European Union and called Brexit a “catastrophic mistake”.

But Andy Burnham’s allies have said Streeting is trying to derail his campaign to win the Makerfield by-election and to get to No10, The Times reported.

The Manchester Mayor’s allies accused Streeting of playing into Nigel Farage’s hands and for trying to elevate Brexit as an issue in the Leave-voting seat of Makerfield.

One said: “Wes’s only hope at becoming the next leader is for Andy to lose the by-election. [Streeting’s] comments … are counterproductive to Labour winning this by-election. It’s very transparent.”

Burnham ally, Lisa Nandy, said Labour should avoid “reopening the Brexit wars”, likening it to saying “life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there”.

Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, has been sounded out by No 10 about replacing Wes Streeting as health secretary. But she turned down the role, the Times has reported.