Guido Fawkes says Wes Streeting was spotted crying near Andy Burnham’s office in parliament (Image: Getty)
Wes Streeting has swiftly fact checked a claim he was seen crying in a lift near Andy Burnham‘s office in Parliament. Politics site Guido Fawkes made the allegation on social media on Thursday (July 16).
In a post on its X account, the site claimed: “Wes Streeting spotted crying in the lift down from where Burnham’s office is in Parliament.”
Less than two hours later, the former health secretary shot back, dismissing the claim out of hand.
Mr Streeting said: “Of all the bizarre speculation I’ve read in recent days, this is the best. I wasn’t even present, let alone involved. Hope my doppelgänger is ok though.”
A spokesperson for Mr Streeting said it categorically did not happen, there was no meeting with Mr Burnham yesterday. They said it all stemmed from a tweet which, while superficially amusing, is the definition of fake news.
Mr Streeting’s fight back comes amid frenzied speculation in Westminster about who incoming prime minister, Andy Burnham, will pick for his top team.
Mr Burnham has remained tight-lipped in public about who he wants around his Cabinet table.
Mr Streeting was thought to have possibly made a deal with Mr Burnham in exchange for ruling himself out of the running to replace Sir Keir Starmer.
But key roles could go to those who surrounded Mr Burnham as he has prepared his path to No 10, including Louise Haigh, Miatta Fahnbulleh and Lucy Powell. All three left their posts or were shuffled out of Sir Keir’s Cabinet.
Angela Rayner may also return. She was cleared over her tax affairs after quitting as deputy prime minister and housing secretary.
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Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper or Shabana Mahmood may be moving to the Treasury, although the current Home Secretary is thought to be keen to remain in the role.
Ms Cooper may also be keen to stay in her current post. She penned an essay in recent weeks that set out her stall in her present job.
Mr Burnham will enter No.10 on Monday after becoming his party’s leader today (July 17).
He promises to be “unashamedly Labour”, pledging his government will have the “courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected”.
The incoming PM will set out plans to focus on economic renewal, more public control and reindustrialisation.