Subscribe
Wes Streeting breaks a decade-long political taboo by calling Brexit a “catastrophic mistake,” reopening one of the most explosive debates in modern British history
For nearly ten years, British politics has lived under an unspoken rule: never reopen the Brexit debate. Regardless of whether politicians privately regretted the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, few dared to challenge openly the outcome of the 2016 referendum that changed the course of British history. That silence may now be ending.
The political earthquake arrived through Wes Streeting, the outgoing Health Secretary, who launched an unprecedented challenge within the Labour Party by declaring Brexit “a catastrophic mistake” and openly suggesting that Britain should one day rejoin the European Union. More significantly, Streeting argued that Labour itself should campaign at the next general election on a platform aimed at bringing the country back into the EU.
The statement has detonated inside British politics because it breaks one of Westminster’s strongest taboos. Since the referendum of June 23, 2016, both Conservatives and Labour have largely avoided proposing any direct reversal of Brexit, fearing backlash from voters who considered the referendum result a democratic verdict that had to be respected regardless of the economic consequences.
Streeting’s intervention therefore represents far more than a policy proposal. It is also a tactical political move aimed directly at Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester and current favorite to eventually succeed Prime Minister Keir Starmer as Labour leader.
Burnham faces an immediate political test before any leadership race can formally begin. Because he is not currently a Member of Parliament, he must first win a by-election in Makerfield, near Manchester, scheduled for June 18. The problem for Burnham is that Makerfield voted overwhelmingly in favour of Brexit in 2016, with approximately 65% supporting Leave. Reopening the European question in such a constituency risk becoming politically toxic.
Streeting knows this perfectly. By forcing Brexit back into the national conversation, he places Burnham in an extremely delicate position: either distance himself from pro-European sentiment inside Labour or alienate voters in the constituency he must win to even become eligible for prime minister.
Burnham has attempted to walk a careful line. While reiterating previous comments that Britain may return to the EU “within his lifetime,” he has stressed that he does not intend to campaign on the issue and prefers to focus on practical concerns such as public services, living costs, and local economic development. His response highlights the broader dilemma facing Labour: how to rebuild closer economic ties with Europe without appearing to overturn Brexit entirely.
Streeting’s gamble is not irrational. Labour Party members remain overwhelmingly pro-European. According to internal estimates, roughly 87% of party activists support returning to the European Union. Any future leadership contest would therefore take place among an electorate far more Europhile than the British population at large.
Yet Streeting’s path remains difficult. To formally launch a leadership challenge against Starmer, he would need the support of 81 Labour MPs — 20% of the parliamentary party. So far, there are few indications that he has secured enough backing to trigger an internal contest.
The reaction from within the government has been swift and nervous. Senior ministers accused Streeting of reopening old divisions at precisely the wrong moment. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy criticized the sudden focus on Europe, arguing that a return to the EU risks sending voters the message that Britain simply wants to “go back to 2015” rather than build a new future outside the bloc.
Her remarks reflect a growing anxiety inside Labour leadership circles. Since taking power, Starmer’s government has pursued a strategy of gradual rapprochement with Europe — improving trade cooperation, regulatory coordination, and diplomatic ties — while carefully avoiding any suggestion of reversing Brexit outright. Streeting’s comments threaten that balancing act.
The biggest political beneficiary could ultimately be Nigel Farage. The veteran populist leader has already positioned himself to denounce any discussion of rejoining the EU as a betrayal of the referendum result. Farage is expected to make the issue central during Burnham’s by-election campaign, hoping to mobilize pro-Brexit voters against Labour.
Beyond Britain’s internal political battles, however, the prospect of rejoining the European Union remains highly uncertain. Although opinion polls now show that more than half of British voters regret Brexit or favour closer ties with Europe, support often becomes weaker when confronted with the likely conditions Brussels would impose for re-entry.
Those conditions could include restoring freedom of movement, increasing British contributions to the EU budget, and potentially committing in the long term to deeper integration measures unacceptable to many British voters. The political cost of such concessions would likely remain enormous.
Meanwhile, pressure on Starmer himself continues to intensify. Reports suggest the Prime Minister spent the weekend secluded at Chequers, the traditional country residence of British premiers, reflecting on his political future. Speculation is growing that he may soon announce a timetable for stepping aside in order to avoid a humiliating internal defeat should a formal leadership challenge emerge.
If that happens, Brexit — the issue Britain tried hardest to bury — may once again become the defining fault line of British politics.
Alessandro Fiorentino