Wes Streeting Launches PM Bid, Pushes For UK Return To European Union

<p data-start="0" data-end="285"><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Wes Streeting</span></span> has formally launched his bid to become Britain&rsquo;s next Prime Minister, declaring he would challenge <span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Keir Starmer</span></span> in any future Labour Party leadership contest and pushing for the UK to eventually rejoin the European Union.</p> <p data-start="289" data-end="470">In his first major speech after resigning as health secretary, Streeting described Brexit as &ldquo;a catastrophic mistake&rdquo; and argued that Britain had become weaker since leaving the EU.</p> <p data-start="474" data-end="655">&ldquo;We need a new special relationship with the EU because Britain&rsquo;s future lies with Europe, and one day, one day, back in the European Union,&rdquo; Streeting said, according to Reuters.</p> <p data-start="659" data-end="773">The UK formally left the European Union in 2020 after 47 years of membership following the 2016 Brexit referendum.</p> <p data-start="777" data-end="924">Streeting said the current global climate had shown the need for closer cooperation with Europe to strengthen Britain&rsquo;s economy, trade and defence.</p> <p data-start="928" data-end="1088">He argued that stronger ties with the EU would help counter shared challenges, including Russian aggression and the &ldquo;America First&rdquo; approach in global politics.</p> <h2 data-section-id="np7fj1" data-start="1092" data-end="1141">Streeting Pushes For Labour Leadership Contest</h2> <p data-start="1145" data-end="1280">Streeting also urged Starmer to outline a timetable for his departure and called for a full leadership contest within the Labour Party.</p> <p data-start="1284" data-end="1465">&ldquo;We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I will be standing,&rdquo; he said while addressing a conference organised by the Progress group of Labour supporters.</p> <p data-start="1469" data-end="1598">Under Labour Party rules, a challenger requires backing from at least 20 per cent of Labour MPs to trigger a leadership election.</p> <h2 data-section-id="15wvmv6" data-start="1602" data-end="1639">Andy Burnham Also Signals Interest</h2> <p data-start="1643" data-end="1753">Alongside Streeting, <span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Andy Burnham</span></span> has also indicated interest in challenging Starmer.</p> <p data-start="1757" data-end="1896">Burnham recently announced he would contest a by-election to return to Parliament, a necessary step before mounting a leadership challenge.</p> <p data-start="1900" data-end="2039">Streeting said rushing into a leadership race before all candidates were able to participate would undermine the legitimacy of the process.</p> <p data-start="2043" data-end="2278" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&ldquo;We could have rushed straight into a leadership contest knowing not all candidates would be on the pitch&hellip; and the new leader, whether it was me or anyone else, would lack legitimacy,&rdquo; Streeting was quoted as saying by The Independent.</p>

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