Wes Streeting has said people don’t “have any kind of emotional connection” to Sir Keir Starmer as he continued to make his pitch for Labour leadership.
The former Health Secretary said he does not believe Sir Keir is working as Prime Minister and he never will – a sentiment which ultimately lead to Mr Streeting’s resignation.
He also set out a series of policies ahead of a potential leadership contest, hoping to differentiate himself from fellow challenger Andy Burnham.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Times, Mr Streeting said of the Prime Minister: “I don’t think people get him. I don’t think they have any kind of emotional connection to him.
“And I don’t think they understand who he is or why he wants to be Prime Minister and what his vision for the country is.”
The MP for Ilford North said the level of “hostility” against Sir Keir felt “disproportionate, actually and unfair in some cases”, but admitted it was ultimately “how the public feels”.
“It’s not even a problem that can be reduced to a question of style and communication. There is a substance problem with the government,” he added.
Reflecting on the current Labour Government, he said the party came into power “underprepared” and “lacking in any sort of intellectual curiosity”.
Reflecting on the current Labour Government, he said the party came into power “underprepared” and “lacking in any sort of intellectual curiosity”.
Wes Streeting said people ‘don’t get’ Keir Starmer
He said the party was burdened by a “self-defeating and overbearing caution” – the cause of which he directly blamed on Sir Keir, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Morgan McSweeney.
As for any potential leadership contest, Mr Streeting stressed he would be competing “with”, not “against” the Greater Manchester Mayor.
Polling from YouGov and BMG has put Mr Burnham far ahead of the 43-year-old former Health Secretary, with the Greater Manchester Mayor leading 80 per cent to Mr Streeting’s 10 per cent in a head-to-head.
Mr Streeting said he is in favour of granting licences for oil and gasfields in the North Sea.
