Allies of Prime Minister Keir Starmer have privately admitted he is currently "too weak" to sack Health Secretary Wes Streeting, despite facing a substantial Cabinet backlash against the minister. The revelation comes after Mr Streeting broke ranks on Monday night by publicly releasing his private text message exchanges with the disgraced peer, Lord Peter Mandelson.
Cabinet Tensions and a Defiant Move
The Health Secretary's decision to publish the messages was a calculated attempt to distance himself from Mandelson, who is embroiled in a scandal concerning his appointment as US ambassador. This pre-emptive strike was described by Streeting's allies as a direct response to claims from leadership rivals that his political ambitions would be destroyed once the messages were inevitably revealed as part of a major data dump related to the peer.
Official Warnings and Internal Chaos
Scotland Yard issued a stark warning to ministers yesterday, advising them against releasing their own communications with Mandelson. Police stated that such actions could potentially undermine their ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office. Simultaneously, the Cabinet Office circulated instructions mandating that all messages should only be exchanged through a formal, official process, which is expected to take several weeks or even months to complete.
However, even those close to the embattled Prime Minister acknowledged there is little he can do to rein in Mr Streeting, given that Starmer himself has been significantly wounded by the fallout from the Mandelson affair. "I don't think he can sack Wes. I don't think he has the strength to sack anyone right now," one Starmer ally confided to the Financial Times. "He's too weak." Another member of the Starmer team added, "Sacking Wes would just uncork even more political chaos of the kind we're trying to avoid."
The Content of the Messages and Political Fallout
The released messages contain indiscreet exchanges in which Mr Streeting complained that the Government has "no growth strategy at all." His allies believe this disclosure will effectively neutralise claims that his friendship with Mandelson could prove fatal to his leadership aspirations. "Starmer's people were running round telling everyone Wes was compromised by the emails," said one source. "So what's he supposed to do? Just sit back and take it?"
Within the Cabinet, there is clear frustration. One senior source stated it was obvious Mr Streeting had "jumped the gun" by releasing his messages without seeking prior approval, characterising the move as "classic Wes" and noting it "p***es off everyone to survive the day."
Calls for Unity and Underlying Threats
When questioned if he had reprimanded the Health Secretary, Sir Keir offered a measured response, saying, "I do think we all need to ensure we're all acting together in this. All the information needs to be pulled together." Senior Labour figures have publicly urged for unity. Ed Miliband stated yesterday that Mr Streeting should "move on" and rally behind the Prime Minister, telling Sky News, "Move on dot org. Let's just move past all this." Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also appeared to deliver a coded rebuke, remarking, "I think this is a moment to pull in the same direction around bolder ambitions."
Despite these public calls for cohesion, allies of Wes Streeting still anticipate he will attempt to depose Sir Keir within weeks, according to reports emerging last night. MPs close to the Health Secretary reportedly indicated he would need to act swiftly after the May local elections to pre-empt a potential leadership challenge from Deputy Leader Angela Rayner. "Nothing has changed," one MP told The Guardian. "There was a big performance of unity yesterday but Keir is no safer than he was yesterday."
