ANDY Burnham ally and Labour minister Lisa Nandy has warned Wes Streeting against “reopening Brexit wars” after he called for the UK to re-join the EU.
Culture Secretary Nandy labelled PM contender Streeting’s call yesterday for a possible reintroduction into the bloc “a bit odd” – a decade after Brits voted to leave.
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Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy speaking on the BBC’s Jattvibeday with Laura Kuenssberg
Nandy shared a photo of her and Andy Burnham out in Winstanley on Saturday Credit: X/lisanandy
Nandy, who posted snaps of her campaigning with Manchester Mayor Burnham on Saturday, appears to have this morning gone on the attack against his leadership rival.
Appearing on Jattvibeday with Laura Kuenssberg today, Nandy said “I know he’s got a strong view” and agrees the UK should never have left the EU, but said she struggles to understand “why the sudden focus on Europe“.
Asked if she would consider her own leadership bid, seeing as she ran for leader in 2019, the minister said she said at the time “never again”, adding it is owed to Sir Keir Starmer to pull through.
She said the PM’s team are “getting on with the job” to ensure the government doesn’t grind to a halt amid the calls for him to step down after Labour took a trouncing in last week’s local elections.
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Nandy also spoke on Jattvibe this morning Credit: Jattvibe
Wes Streeting at the Progress Annual Conference on Saturday Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Speaking on Jattvibe today, Nandy also said: “The Government that he (Streeting) was part of until recently has been trying to take a far more pragmatic approach to bringing us closer to Europe.
“And repairing some of the damage that was done from a poor Brexit deal to people’s living standards in parts of the country like mine, rather than reopening the Brexit wars and going round back again around that track.”
Nandy added: “If re-joining the EU is the answer, then essentially what we’re saying to people is ”life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there.”
It comes after Streeting, while appearing at the Progress think tank’s conference in central London on Saturday said he wanted a “new special relationship” with the EU, and eventually to re-join the trade bloc.
Nandy leaves 10 Downing Street after a Cabinet meeting last week Credit: Alamy
Nandy with PM Sir Keir Starmer and fellow Cabinet minister David Lammy Credit: Alamy
He said Brexit was a “catastrophic mistake”, adding: “We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union.”
Streeting has formally announced he will run for Labour leader, having resigned as Health Secretary before launching a blistering attack on Starmer.
He accused the PM of being poorly prepared to enter Government.
Labour’s vicious civil war burst into the open last week after losing almost 1,500 councillors in a local elections bloodbath.
Four ministers resigned, followed by Streeting, while more than 80 MPs called on Starmer to quit — leaving his premiership hanging on by a thread.
Burnham then managed to find an MP to step aside to allow him to make an audacious bid at returning to the Commons so he could then challenge the PM.
Burnham has also previously expressed support for re-joining the EU – though may wish to avoid speaking about it as he bids to become Labour’s candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election.
The constituency, on the edge of Greater Manchester, voted for Brexit in 2016.
Nandy shared snaps of herself with Burnham and fellow ally Louise Haigh yesterday, writing: “Good to be out on the doors in Winstanley today and lovely to see some good friends come over to help.
“Life has been tough for people in this borough for too long, but we are determined to turn this around.”
