Wes Streeting: Sheffield Labour draft in Shadow Health Secretary and Essex MP ahead of elections

Streeting was photographed in Hillsborough with a number of Sheffield Labour councillors as part of canvassing efforts for the incumbent Councillor George Lindars-Hammond. The Shadow Health Secretary is an MP for a constituency in Essex, but his presence in Sheffield was shared by Coun Ben Miskell.

Coun Miskell tweeted: “A huge thank you to [Wes Streeting] for joining us to in (sic) Hillsborough today, campaigning to re-elect [Councillor George Lindars-Hammond].

"Everyday we’re having thousands of conversations right across Sheffield about why we need to win control of the council and build a better Britain, together.”

The Shadow Health Secretary has said on multiple occasions he does not support the strikes being held by nurses and junior doctors in the NHS. Asked on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssburg whether he supported the strikes, he said: “How could I? There’s a risk to patient safety. It wouldn’t be the right thing to do.”

The Evening Standard reported Streeting had also declared he did not support the junior doctors strikes, but did say they were “making a fair argument” over pay.

Streeting joined Sheffield Labour in Hillsborough on Monday, May 1, just a matter of days before the May 4 local elections. Polling stations will open from 7am on Thursday, before closing at 10pm.

Polling by YouGov currently has Sheffield City Council as “too close to call” in determining a winner. The council is currently in no overall control, but YouGov has predicts it being between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.