Streeting’s EU call puts Burnham in tricky spot

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Wes Streeting has endorsed Andy Burnham for the upcoming byelection in Makerfield and said he will campaign for him if he becomes the Labour candidate. But this outward solidarity from one leadership hopeful to another belies some canny manoeuvres. At the weekend, Streeting called on Britain to rejoin the EU. This may be a sincerely held position, and could help him win votes in a contest to succeed Starmer, but it also puts Burnham in a tricky spot. The main threat to winning Makerfield is Reform, which would love Brexit to become a salient issue for the byelection, given that Burnham has previously called for Britain to rejoin the bloc. This weekend, the mayor of Greater Manchester signalled a retreat.