Wes Streeting has calked for Kier Starmer to resign after Thursday’s Makerfield by election
Speaking in London, the former Health Secretary said the Prime Minister should set out a timetable for his departure from No10 if Andy Burnham wins the by-election.
Streeting also insisted thathe has the 81 MPs he needs to take part in any leadership contest.
Streeting in a wide ranging speech also took a swipe at Andy Burnham over ‘expensive popular promises’ that can’t be kept’ .Fiscal discipline matters he said adding that the contest to succeed Keir Starmer cannot become a ‘Dutch auction’ to appeal to Left-wing activists.
In leadership pitch centered on economic growth and defended bond investors, Streeting said that there’s a “pragmatic case” for using own oil and gas from North Sea, stressing “cheap electricity” essential to generating the growth UK needs
He also said he would move for emergency powers to be able to accelerate infrastructure projects.
“If Parliament can act in days to save British Steel, it can act with urgency to save Britain’s future prosperity. It all depends on Britain’s ability to build.”
Meanwhile Keir Starmer has sent a message – from the G7 – to Andy Burnham that he can surrender any hope that he will walk away from being prime minister in any kind of smooth or orderly transfer of power.
“So very many times on my political journey people have said to me ‘it’s not possible.’ They said it’s not possible to turn the Labour Party around, it’s not possible to win an election, it’s not possible if you do win an election to invest in your public services and stabilise the economy. Wrong every time. And that’s why I intend not to walk away from this, but to carry on with what I was elected to do, which is to serve this country and bring back the change that people desperately need in their lives.”
