Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting President of the National Union of Students | |
---|---|
In office 1 July 2008 – 10 June 2010 | |
Preceded by | Gemma Tumelty |
Succeeded by | Aaron Porter |
Personal details | |
Born | Wesley Paul William Streeting 21 January 1983 Stepney, London, England |
Political party | Labour |
Domestic partner | Joe Dancey |
Residence(s) | Redbridge, London |
Education | Westminster City School |
Alma mater | Selwyn College, Cambridge |
Signature | |
Website | Official website |
Wesley Paul William Streeting (/ˈstritɪŋ/; born 21 January 1983) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since 2021, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ilford North since 2015.
He served as Shadow Secretary of State for Child Poverty from May to November 2021, as Shadow Minister for Schools from 2020 to 2021, and as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from April to October 2020.[1] He was also president of the National Union of Students (NUS), and Deputy Leader of Redbridge London Borough Council.
Early life, family and education
Streeting was born in Stepney, London, on 21 January 1983. His parents, Mark and Corinna,[2] were teenagers when he was born.[3] He has five brothers, a sister and a stepsister.[3][4] His maternal grandfather was an armed robber who spent time in prison, and his grandmother became embroiled in his crimes and ended up in Holloway jail, where she met Christine Keeler (a key figure in the Profumo affair). According to Streeting, they "stayed in touch, they became friends." His grandmother was released from prison to give birth to his mother at Whittington Hospital.[3]
Streeting's two grandfathers, both named Bill, were key figures in his youth. His maternal grandfather, Bill Crowley, was acquainted with the infamous
Streeting grew up in poverty living in a council flat.[5][6] He recalls Conservative Party politicians, particularly Ann Widdecombe, in the 1990s "denigrating single-parent families like mine, which I took quite personally."[3] He attended Westminster City School, a comprehensive state school in Victoria, London, where he studied History, Politics, and Religious Studies at A-level, receiving 3 A grades. He went on to study history at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. Streeting previously had left the Labour Party because he opposed its decision to enter the Iraq War; however, he says Tony Blair did not act with malign intent.[7]
Streeting came out as gay in his second year of university.
Early career
Streeting was elected as President of the National Union of Students (NUS) in April 2008 as a candidate from Labour Students, with the support of the Union of Jewish Students.[9] He had been a member of the NUS National Executive Committee since 2005, having previously held the post of Vice-President (Education) from 2006 to 2008. In April 2009, he was elected to a second term as President of the NUS. He also served as a member of the National Committee of Labour Students for four years during this time.
As President of the NUS, Streeting was a strong proponent of his predecessor
Streeting worked for the
After completing his term as President of the NUS, Streeting served as Chief Executive of the
Politics
Local politics
In a July 2010 by-election, Streeting was elected as a Labour councillor for the Chadwell ward on Redbridge London Borough Council, having stood unsuccessfully for that Council’s Roding ward two months earlier. He held the seat for Labour by 220 votes, winning with 31.5% of the vote on a 25.5% turnout.[21] The by-election had been triggered by a previously elected candidate subsequently being found to be ineligible to serve on the council.[22] Streeting was elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Group in October 2011.[23] In 2014, he contested the Aldborough ward on Redbridge Council, winning 2,100 votes and defeating Conservative opponent Ruth Clark.
At a public meeting of the Redbridge Citizens' Assembly on 6 May 2014, Streeting promised on behalf of his group that, if they won the election, they would not reduce the level of Council Tax support provided to low-income working-age residents. In May 2014, Labour took control of Redbridge Council for the first time and Streeting was appointed Deputy Leader of the Council, with Jas Athwal as Leader.[24][25] Once elected, the Labour council proceeded to cut the level of council tax support, so as to treble the amount of Council Tax paid by supported residents from April 2016; the council made a further reduction from April 2017, and made a third reduction from April 2018.[26][27][28][29] Streeting resigned as Deputy Leader in May 2015, shortly after being elected Member of Parliament for Ilford North.[30] Whilst he remained a backbench councillor following his election to Parliament, he chose not to claim his councillor allowance.[31] Streeting did not stand for re-election after being elected to Parliament, and ceased to be a councillor on 7 May 2018.
Parliamentary backbencher (2015–2020)
In the
Following his election, Streeting was described as a "long-time critic" of
In 2016 Streeting criticised the Labour Party for refusing a £30,000 donation from
At the
Ilford North has among the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in the UK. Streeting is a vice-chair of the
Shortly before the
Opposition frontbencher (2020–present)
Until the 2019 general election, Streeting was a member of the
On 9 November 2022, Streeting was criticised after being overheard describing Corbyn as "senile" in the House of Commons. Streeting said the comment was made "in jest" and apologised to Corbyn for the comment later that day.[65][66]
It has been reported that Streeting has – along with fellow Shadow Cabinet members Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper – received "large amounts of private cash".[67]
Streeting was ranked sixth in the New Statesman's Left Power List 2023, described as "one of the most prominent and confident members" of the shadow cabinet.[68]
In July 2023, Streeting apologised to
Political positions
Streeting is considered to be on the right of the Labour Party; however, he objects to being labelled a
Streeting campaigned in favour of the United Kingdom remaining in the
On health, in December 2021, in response to growing waiting times in the
Streeting is pro-
Personal life
Streeting lives in
In May 2021, Streeting revealed he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer[84] and would be stepping back from frontline politics while he received treatment for it.[85] He had received a phone call from his urologist informing him that tests, initially for kidney stones, revealed he had kidney cancer. He was on a campaign visit at the time. However, because the cancer was noticed early, his prognosis was good even though he needed surgery to remove the kidney.[3] On 27 July 2021, Streeting announced that he had been declared cancer-free, following an operation to remove one of his kidneys.[86]
Streeting published his memoir, One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry-Up, in June 2023; Rachel Cooke of The Observer described the tome as "both a little bit boring and unexpectedly fascinating".[87]
References
- ^ "Wes Streeting MP – Latest news and updates on the Labour MP for Ilford North – Mirror Online". mirror. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ https://www.waterstones.com/book/one-boy-two-bills-and-a-fry-up/wes-streeting/9781399710107
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m George Parker and Jim Pickard (19 May 2022). "Is Wes Streeting the saviour Labour desperately needs". The Financial Times. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Rachel Sylvester (18 September 2021). "Labour's Wes Streeting on childhood poverty and battling homophobia". The Times. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "Is Wes Streeting the next Labour leader?". New Statesman. 25 January 2022.
- ^ Streeting, Wes (8 January 2019). "Wes Streeting: This country needs good quality social housing, now". LabourList. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Sebastian Whale (22 March 2020). "Wes Streeting: People in the Labour Party have got to start liking one another again". The House. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ Layfield, Luke (29 October 2004). "Architecture under threat at Cambridge". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "UJS at NUS Conference 2009". Union of Jewish Students. 7 June 2009. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
- ^ "www.nusdemocracy.org.uk".
- ^ Lipsett, Anthea (2 April 2008). "New NUS president voted in | Students". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Home – Youth Citizenship Commission". Ycc.uk.net. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "NUS president Wes Streeting: 'Moving to the right on tuition fees". The Independent. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ "NUS president Wes Streeting: 'Moving to the right on tuition fees". The Independent. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Wes Streeting. "About Wes". Wes Streeting's blog. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Exclusive: 'New Labour' consigned to the dustbin of history as". The Independent. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Wes Streeting, CEO, Helena Kennedy Foundation". FE Week. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Former Stonewall campaigner Wes Streeting elected as MP". PinkNews. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "The Week in Higher Education". Times Higher Education. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ Jess Freeman (12 August 2010). "What's stopping Oona King?". Total Politics. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ "Chadwell Ward". Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ^ "Redbridge: Ineligible councillor resigns". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
- ^ "Councillor Wes Streeting". Redbridge London Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ^ "Redbridge i – Local Election result, 2014". Redbridge Council. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ Hill, Dave (23 May 2014). "Local elections: Labour wins control of Redbridge council for first time". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ^ Blackburn, Ralph (25 November 2015). "Redbridge parties clash over council tax relief cuts". Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ Blackburn, Ralph (12 September 2015). "Council tax support could be cut for Redbridge residents". Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ Keay, Lara (25 January 2016). "12,000 poor workers to be hit by cuts to council tax reduction scheme". Wanstead & Woodford Guardian. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ "Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2017/18" (PDF). Redbridge Council. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ Patient, Douglas (20 May 2015). "New deputy leader of Redbridge council announced". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Wes Streeting MP on Twitter". Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "2015 General Election Results". Redbridge Council. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "British Youth Council Honorary Presidents". British Youth Council. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ a b Helm, Toby (28 May 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn 'failed to reply' to Israeli Labour on fears of antisemitism". The Observer. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ^ Nicholas Maires (9 June 2017). "'I was clearly wrong' - Jeremy Corbyn's Labour critics congratulate the leader". Politics Home. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ Syal, Rajeev; Stewart, Heather (2 May 2016). "Corbyn ally Len McCluskey attacks 'treacherous' Labour MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Mason, Rowena (22 March 2017). "Ken Livingstone calls for Labour to suspend 'disloyal' MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Owen Smith nominated by 70% of Labour MPs". ITV. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ Streeting, Wes (18 April 2016). "Labour's McDonald's ban is virtue signalling of the worst kind". The New Statesman. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021.
- ^ Landin, Conrad (19 April 2016). "What an Argument About McDonald's Tells Us About the State of the Labour Party". Vice News.
- ^ a b Streeting, Wes (1 February 2017). "Chuka Umunna and Wes Streeting: Why we Labour Remainers voted to trigger Article 50". Inews. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ Streeting, Wes (22 January 2019). "Wes Streeting MP: I would rather risk losing my job than stay silent on Brexit and risk my constituents losing theirs". Politics Home. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ Streeting, Wes (13 July 2018). "Streeting – No deal Brexit would be very worst possible outcome". People's Vote. Open Britain. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
- ^ "Ilford North parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
- ^ "CBP 7979: General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF). UK Parliament (2nd ed.). London: House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [11 July 2017]. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ "Ilford North parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
- ^ "CBP 7979: General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF). UK Parliament (2nd ed.). London: House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [11 July 2017]. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ Streeting, Wes; Siddiq, Tulip (24 April 2017). "We've heard your anxieties loud and clear". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ "APPG on British Jews". Board of Deputies of British Jews. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ "LFI Supporters in Parliament". Labour Friends of Israel. 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Parliamentary Supporters". Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME). Retrieved 19 September 2018.
- ^ Walawalkar, Aaron. "All-Party Parliamentary Group consultation in Hainault on legal definition of Islamophobia draws in around 80 people". Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ Weich, Ben (5 July 2018). "'Friend of Israel' MP calls for economic sanctions against West Bank settlements". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ "Labour moderate explodes in row over MP hopeful's apology for antisemitism". Jewish Chronicle. 28 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
- ^ "These non-Jews are fighting Labour anti-Semitism from the inside". Haaretz. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Wearmouth, Rachel (17 July 2019). "Jeremy Corbyn-Led Labour Party 'Destined To Lose General Election', MPs Claim". Huffpost. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
- ^ a b Donald, Andy (14 November 2019). "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL: Election of a Member of Parliament: Ilford North Constituency" (PDF). Redbridge London Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2020.
- ^ UK Parliament. Archived from the originalon 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ "Rolling list: MP/MEP nominations for Labour leadership candidates". LabourList. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Rolling list: MP/MEP nominations for Labour deputy leadership candidates". LabourList. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Streeting, Wes [@wesstreeting] (24 February 2020). "I'm voting for @IanMurrayMP # 1 for Deputy Leader. He's faced up to the scale of the challenge and told us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear. He's a proven fighter and a winner. Every answer he's given has been rooted in our values. http://murrayfordeputy.co.uk" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 February 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Partington, Richard (5 December 2018). "Brexit betrayal would damage society, Philip Hammond tells MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ Rodgers, Sienna (14 May 2021). "Reshuffle: Keir Starmer's new Labour frontbench in full". LabourList. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Rodgers, Sienna (29 November 2021). "Big reshuffle sees Cooper, Streeting, Lammy, Reynolds, Phillipson promoted". LabourList. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Joshua Nevett (9 November 2022). "Labour's Wes Streeting apologises for calling Jeremy Corbyn senile in Parliament". BBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ Streeting, Wes [@wesstreeting] (9 November 2022). "In jest, but I accept in poor taste. I've dropped Jeremy a note directly to apologise for any offence caused" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Ramsay, Adam (9 September 2023). "How big business took over the Labour Party". openDemocracy. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ Statesman, New (17 May 2023). "The New Statesman's left power list". New Statesman. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Quinn, Ben (28 July 2023). "Wes Streeting apologises to Rosie Duffield for treatment by Labour over gender views". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Hansford, Amelia (31 July 2023). "Wes Streeting faces backlash for Rosie Duffield apology on gender-critical views". PinkNews. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Hansford, Amelia (30 January 2024). "Labour's Wes Streeting backs separate hospital wards for trans patients". PinkNews. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Wes Streeting (12 October 2018). "We social democrats need to be honest about why we keep losing - and how we can win again". The New Statesman. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ Wes Streeting (19 December 2018). "Wes Streeting Slams Immigration Proposals". Labour Party. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Wes Streeting pledges Labour will slash wait times in NHS that saved his life". The Mirror. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ a b c Christopher McKeon (7 June 2022). "NHS cannot be complacent over funding, says Streeting". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ Wes Streeting (19 May 2022). "Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting: Israel's Hospital and Treatment Technolohy is 10 Years Ahead of NHS". Labour Friends of Israel. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Labour would use private providers to cut NHS waiting lists, says Streeting". BBC News. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Rowena Mason and Simon Hattenstone (17 June 2023). "Wes Streeting says he has ambitions to become prime minister". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d Sebastian Whale (22 March 2020). "Wes Streeting: People in the Labour Party have got to start liking one another again". The House. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ West, Amy (8 June 2019). "Labour MP criticises colleague for supporting anti-LGBT education protesters: 'There must be no place for hatred'". Pink News. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ "Gay MP Wes Streeting: 'Parents cannot pick and choose which parts of the Equality Act should apply'". Gay Times. 13 June 2019. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Streeting, Wes (Ilford North)". The Register of Members' Financial Interests. House of Commons. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Labour selects candidate to stand in new Teesside seat at next general election". The Northern Echo. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Labour MP Wes Streeting diagnosed with kidney cancer". BBC News. 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Labour MP Wes Streeting diagnosed with kidney cancer". The Guardian. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Labour MP Wes Streeting 'over the moon' to be cancer free after successful operation". PinkNews. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ Cooke, Rachel (27 June 2023). "One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up by Wes Streeting review – memoir by a man on the move". The Observer. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
External links
- Official website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
- Councillor Wes Streeting Archived 24 April 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Redbridge London Borough Council
- Interview with Tiger Television at Birmingham City University
- Appearances on C-SPAN