Wes Streeting was first elected as the Labour MP for Ilford North in 2015, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 5,198.
Ilford North is found in north east London, at the end of the Central Line, along the border of Essex. It contains the areas of Ilford, Barkingside, Hainault, and Woodford Bridge. It is a highly ethnic diverse constituency which contains large Muslim, Hindu, and Jewish communities. Although this was a long standing marginal constituency that regularly changed hands in the post War period, in recent years, this area has become far safer Labour territory.
In November 2021, Streeting was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He was first appointed to the Shadow Cabinet by Sir Keir Starmer as Shadow Child Poverty Secretary. He had previously served as the Shadow Minister for Schools, having served as Shadow Exchequer Secretary earlier in 2020.
An effective media performer, Streeting is seen as a rising figure on the centre right of the Labour party.
Streeting supported Liz Kendall in the 2015 Labour leadership election, Owen Smith in his 2016 leadership challenge to Jeremy Corbyn, and backed Keir Starmer in the 2020 leadership contest.
Streeting was one of the Labour Party’s most vocal critics about the party’s approach to the antisemitism issue under Jeremy Corbyn.
Born in 1983, Streeting grew up on a council estate in Tower Hamlets, before reading History at Selwyn College, Cambridge University. He became President of Cambridge University Students’ Union, and then President of the National Union of Students. Before being elected to Parliament he worked as a public sector consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
