Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary and called on Keir Starmer to step down as prime minister, saying it would have been “dishonourable” to remain in post. The former health secretary, a key figure on the party’s right, urged a leadership contest featuring a broad range of candidates, potentially including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
Streeting’s resignation follows days of pressure on Starmer amid record-low popularity ratings, two years after Labour’s historic election victory. In his resignation letter, Streeting criticised Starmer’s “heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices” and argued that the prime minister would not lead Labour into the next general election. He said the party needed “a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism”.
Streeting told Starmer during a 15-minute meeting on Wednesday that he had lost confidence in him, though Starmer indicated he would fight any challenge. Close ministerial allies of Streeting, including Jess Phillips, Zubir Ahmed and Alex Davies-Jones, resigned earlier, calling for Starmer to go. Other backbench supporters such as Melanie Ward and Joe Morris have also urged the prime minister to resign.
Despite his calls, Streeting did not immediately launch a formal challenge, suggesting he lacks the backing of the required 81 Labour MPs. No 10 sources were bullish, with one MP saying: “Wes’s team were desperately trying to drum up support… if they’ve led the party up the garden path, they won’t be forgiven.” Potential leadership contenders include former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and energy secretary Ed Miliband, while Burnham would need to win the Makerfield byelection to stand.
Streeting’s departure adds to turmoil for Starmer, who faces growing internal dissent over policy missteps such as cutting the winter fuel allowance and the “island of strangers” speech. In his letter, Streeting said: “Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift.”
