NewsPoliticsLabour PartyLIVEUpdated 4 mins agoWes Streeting's comments over the weekend have reignited a bitter Brexit debate over the European Union, and allies of Andy Burnham expect them to complicate the by-election in MakerfieldWes Streeting's comments have ignited a Labour debate(Image: Richard Gardner/Shutterstock)Updated 09:39, 18 May 2026Labour leadership hopefuls jostling for the party's top spot have started clashing over Brexit after Wes Streeting suggested he would have the country rejoin if he became Prime Minister.The Brexit culture war front was reopened by the former health secretary over the weekend when he argued that the country's future lay "one day back in the European Union". He said that leaving the bloc "was a catastrophic mistake", adding: "The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep."We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain's future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union." The comments weren't welcomed by other Labour senior figures, including Lisa Nandy, who dubbed them "a bit odd".The renewed row over the EU has only intensified, with allies of Andy Burnham, who is now competing for a by-election seat in Makerfield, Greater Manchester, before he is expected to enter the same race, saying the comments were unhelpful. The BBC reports that highlighting Brexit could make it more difficult to beat Reform in the increasingly right-leaning constituency.‌View PostView PostToday09:21 BSTAndy Burnham steps out in new running gear after he's offered shorts advice by members of the publicAndy Burnham was seen this morning sporting an all-new running outfit as he left his house this morning, after he admitted he was given sage advice by a member of the public.Andy Burnham debuts a new running outfit(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)After watching Everton lose to Sunderland over the weekend, Burnham said he would aim to "change Labour back to the party people used to know", while adding: "Appreciate all the advice and agree with the main consensus: 'Get new running shorts'."Burnham said he was advised to get a new pair of running shorts by a member of the public(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)Today09:06 BSTBrexit debate exhibits 'staggering level of out-of-touch-ness'Continuing on his appraisal of the reintroduction of the Brexit debate to the Labour ranks, Mr Hinder warned that the party is wrapped in an existential crisis, and that it exhibits "a staggering level of out-of-touch-ness".He warned the party is experiencing an existential crisis after taking a beating in its working class heartlands, and said: "The idea that we can reconnect to our working class base by reopening this debate is just a staggering level of out-of-touch-ness."Today09:02 BSTLabour backbencher's fury as Brexit debate reignitedA Labour backbencher has voiced his disbelief that Wes Streeting has reopened the debate about Brexit. Jonathan Hinder said most voters would think he was "off his rocker" if he started talking about rejoining the EU after years of chaos. Asked if he welcomed the new debate about Brexit, Labour MP Jonathan Hinder told the Today Programme: "Absolutely not."He went on: "I'm astonished that we've got to this stage so quickly in this Labour leadership contest, because that's what it is."If I went into the Wallace Hartley pub in my constituency and I said to them 'you know that thing we just did which paralyzed our politics, which tore our country apart, that we said we were done with, we were leaving in the past because it's finally been delivered?'. If I said to them we're going to reopen it, and we're going to reopen it all. In fact, the single market is going to be back on the table with freedom of movement, the single currency, Schengen, what's our budget arrangements going to be with the EU? They would rightly look at me as if I had gone mad. They'd say, 'you are off your rocker if you think the priority for the British people right now is to restart this debate'."Today08:53 BSTBurnham 'fully focused' on representing Makerfield, spokesperson says, as he swerves 'national manifesto'A spokesperson for Burnham has said the would-be candidate is "working hard for every vote" in the Makerfield constituency, and, as such, won't be standing on a national manifesto.Speaking to the Telegraph, they said: "Andy is fully focused on working hard for every vote in Makerfield so he can represent them in Parliament. Andy is not standing on a national manifesto at this election; he is standing to make a difference for the people of Makerfield and to bring the change he has delivered in Greater Manchester to the national stage."Burnham as he left his home for a run this morning(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)Today08:42 BSTWes Streeting Brexit comments could not come at worse time for BurnhamIf there's one thing Andy Burnham could do without, it's talk about Brexit. A decade after the divisive referendum on leaving the EU, it's still a thorny issue. So Wes Streeting's intervention, saying he would reopen the debate about rejoining the bloc, could not come at a worse time for the Greater Manchester Mayor.He's trying to win a by-election in a constituency that voted heavily for Brexit, and Nigel Farage will love the chance to fight this battle again. Mr Burnham's camp has already described the former Health Secretary's remark as "unhelpful", and even accused him of sabotage. It's worth remembering what a huge gamble Mr Burnham has taken by standing in Makerfield.A bit of number-crunching makes alarming reading. In the local elections, Reform picked up 50.4% of votes for council wards in the constituency. That was more than double Labour's 22.7%, while the Greens got 10.9%. And there isn't a huge margin for error - Labour won with a majority of 5,399 in Makerfield at the general election, but Reform still secured more than 12,000 votes.Today08:27 BSTLammy plans to campaign alongside BurnhamJustice Secretary David Lammy said today that he would "of course" go to Makerfield and campaign alongside Burnham during the upcoming by-election.Drawing on his history with Burnham, he said the two were "proteges back in the Tony Blair government". He went further, describing him as a "great guy, a very able politician, wonderful communicator". He added: "It would be great to have him back in Parliament."David Lammy said he would campaign for Andy Burnham in Makerfield(Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)Today08:15 BSTBurnham facing 'perilous' Makerfield by-electionBurnham allies have highlighted that a "perilous" competition awaits the much-loved metro mayor in Makerfield, where Reform has been making inroads with its anti-immigrant rhetoric.One ally speaking to The Guardian gave Burnham a 45 percent chance that he could win in the constituency, saying: “It’s impossible to underscore how perilous this is. I would give Andy a 45% chance of winning, maybe a bit more than that."It’s compelling to say tell progressive voters to vote for Andy to get Starmer out, but the flip side is you’re saying to Reform voters that if they vote Reform they can finish the Labour party off for good."Today08:03 BSTStreeting comments branded 'a bit odd'Wes Streeting's comments did not go down well over the weekend, with politicians on both sides of the aisle quickly piling on criticism. Among them was Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who dubbed te resurrecting of the Brexit spectre as "a bit odd", despite largely agreeing with them.While she admitted that the country should not have left the EU, she said she didn't "really understand why the sudden focus on Europe".Lisa Nandy said the resurrection of Brexit was 'a bit odd'(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)‌