Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure from within his own cabinet to dismiss Health Secretary Wes Streeting, as rival factions manoeuvre to position themselves for a potential leadership challenge, according to reports.
Internal Briefings and Machiavellian Manoeuvres
Left-wing commentator Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman, suggested the recent spate of negative briefings against Mr Streeting reflects a 'growing awareness that change was needed' within the Labour government, rather than a clear consensus that the Health Secretary is the chosen successor. She told the BBC that the attacks 'spoke to the government's unpopularity' and were part of efforts by different factions to position their own candidates by 'stamping on Wes Streeting's momentum'.
Persistent rumours suggest the ambitious Health Secretary is acting like a leader-in-waiting, prompting fellow ministers to urge the Prime Minister to cut him loose. This week, Transport Minister Heidi Alexander reportedly urged colleagues to form a 'Praetorian guard' around Sir Keir, invoking the elite protectors of Roman emperors.
'Wild Behaviour' and Breaches of Collective Responsibility
Ministers critical of Mr Streeting have pointed to his 'wild behaviour' and public pronouncements that go beyond his departmental brief, accusing him of repeatedly breaching collective responsibility. One minister told The Times: 'What he's doing is so obvious. He is repeatedly breaching collective responsibility. He is attacking No 10, he is undermining all of us.'
Another accused Mr Streeting of using supporters from the 2024 intake of MPs to tell people 'that it's time to get rid of Keir and make him PM instead'. They added: 'It's wild behaviour. If he doesn't bring it to a head, he'll have to be brought to heel.' A third source claimed the Health Secretary, who turns 43 next week, is 'exactly the same as when he was 18' and utterly determined to become Prime Minister.
Ms Cunliffe noted the pattern of public calls for unity followed by fresh anti-Starmer briefings, stating it 'speaks to the unpopularity of this government' and a lack of consensus on what or who should change.
Streeting's Defence and a Divided Cabinet
A spokesman for Wes Streeting slammed the latest briefings as 'incredibly stupid', especially when political opponents were in disarray. The spokesman asserted Mr Streeting was 'delivering real change in the NHS' and making the case for the Prime Minister and the Labour Party, highlighting a significant fall in waiting lists and faster ambulance response times.
However, it remains an open secret that the Health Secretary is seen as a major threat to Sir Keir. His opponents recently pointed to him going further than official policy on banning social media for under-16s. Last November, he accused Starmer of presiding over a 'toxic culture' in Number 10, and a month later said the government risked being seen as the 'maintenance department for the country'.
The cabinet is reportedly split into three camps ahead of May's potentially catastrophic local elections: the Prime Minister's loyalists, those believing only a change of leadership can save the government, and a minority keeping their cards close to their chest. One Labour MP warned that too many in the cabinet were 'enjoying the trappings of ministerial life' instead of acting to secure the party's future.
A Number 10 source appeared to offer support for Mr Streeting, saying: 'Wes is doing a great job as health secretary... While other parties turn inwards, the Labour government is getting on with delivering national renewal and Wes is a key player in the team.'
