Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary and called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, arguing it would have been “dishonourable” to remain in post. The Labour right-winger said he wants a leadership contest with a broad range of candidates, potentially including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
Streeting had been gathering support for a challenge for weeks but stopped short of launching an immediate bid, suggesting he lacks the backing of 81 MPs required to force a contest. In his resignation letter, he criticised Starmer’s “heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices” and said the local elections showed the prime minister’s leadership was driving voters away.
Allies including Jess Phillips, Zubir Ahmed and Alex Davies-Jones resigned earlier this week, calling for Starmer to go. Starmer has said he will fight any challenge, and No 10 sources were confident Streeting did not have sufficient support. If Starmer does not resign, he would automatically be on the ballot in any leadership race.
Streeting’s departure comes as Starmer faces record-low approval ratings, just two years after winning a historic majority. The former health secretary said the party needed “vision” and “direction” rather than “drift”, and criticised decisions such as cutting the winter fuel allowance.
