LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - Former health minister Wes Streeting said on Saturday that he would challenge British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in any leadership contest held, days after stepping down and urging Starmer to set a timetable for his departure.
"We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I will be standing," Streeting told a conference of the Progress group of Labour supporters, who view themselves as being on the modernising wing of the party.
Addressing the group, Streeting described Britain's 2016 referendum decision to leave the European Union as "a catastrophic mistake" that had made the country its weakest since before the Industrial Revolution. He said the UK should seek to rejoin the bloc.
"We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain's future lies with Europe, and one day - one day - back in the European Union," he said.
Starmer opposed Britain leaving the EU but as prime minister has rejected trying to rejoin or to make major concessions on areas like immigration, which the EU sees as essential for much closer economic ties.
Late on Thursday, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he was standing for election in a newly vacant seat to return to parliament, a precondition for him to be able to challenge Starmer as prime minister.
Starmer has rejected calls to step down after his party suffered a heavy defeat in local elections last week.
Labour party rules require each challenger to get support from at least 20% of the party's members of parliament before being able to trigger a leadership election.
(Reporting by David Milliken, Editing by Louise Heavens)
