Wes Streeting warns of ‘disintegration’ of rules-based world order after Venezuela attack

Wes Streeting suggested that the abduction and indictment on drugs and weapons charges of Maduro was a sign that Europe needed to take more robust charge of its own intelligence and defence. Photograph: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock

A senior British cabinet minister had warned of the “disintegration” of the international rules-based system in the aftermath of the US capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, saying the instability poses a threat to Britain.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, declined to criticise Donald Trump directly and said that the prime minister, Keir Starmer, did not have the “luxury of commentating” but suggested he was disturbed by the international picture, saying the rules-based order was “creaking at the seams”.