Allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting have issued a rallying cry for government unity following explosive reports that senior Cabinet ministers are urging the Prime Minister to sack him.
Internal Pressure and 'Outspoken' Opinions
According to a report in The Times on Friday 16 January 2026, senior government figures are actively pressing for Mr Streeting's removal. They have cited his "outspoken opinions" in public pronouncements as a primary reason. The internal pressure is understood to be part of a briefing war originating in Downing Street, which allegedly targets Mr Streeting over his perceived leadership ambitions to eventually succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
A spokesperson for the Health Secretary launched a fierce defence, branding the timing of the latest briefings as "incredibly stupid." The criticism focused on the fact that the story emerged while the political opposition, Reform UK and the Conservatives, are locked in a public struggle for dominance on the right.
A Defence of Record and a Call for Focus
"It’s a real shame that Keir’s so-called allies are briefing against Wes yet again," the spokesperson stated. They argued the focus should instead be on government achievements, specifically the second biggest fall in NHS waiting lists in 15 years and ambulances arriving 15 minutes faster under Labour.
"Given Reform and the Tories are at each other’s throats right now, this briefing is also incredibly stupid," the spokesperson added. "Wes is delivering real change in the NHS, and is out there making the case for Keir and for Labour."
Cabinet Criticism and Leadership Manoeuvres
The Times report suggested the internal criticism is significant. One Cabinet minister reportedly advised Sir Keir to learn from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who abruptly sacked her shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick this week ahead of his anticipated defection to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
This minister accused Mr Streeting of "undermining all of us" in Government and suggested he was "repeatedly breaching collective responsibility." Two other sources speaking to the newspaper appeared convinced the Health Secretary was actively positioning himself for the top job. One claimed: "Wes is exactly the same as he was when he was 18 … If he doesn’t become Labour prime minister, he will tell himself his entire life has been a failure. Everything he’s doing now is in pursuit of that aim."
However, a counter-briefing from a Number 10 source offered support, telling The Times that Mr Streeting was doing a "great job as health secretary" and remained a "key player in the team."
This is not the first time such tensions have surfaced. Mr Streeting previously hit out at a "toxic culture" in Number 10 when similar briefings against him became public in November. Just this week, he appeared to voice fresh concerns, telling a conference on Tuesday that ministers should make their New Year’s resolution to "get it right first time," an apparent reference to a series of recent government U-turns.
