Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary and called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, citing a 'vacuum of vision' and a 'heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices' in a scathing resignation letter. The former health secretary, a prominent figure on the party's right, said it would have been 'dishonourable' to remain in post and urged a leadership contest with a broad range of candidates.
Streeting, who had been gathering support for a challenge over recent weeks, stopped short of launching an immediate bid for the leadership, suggesting he lacks the backing of 81 MPs required to force a contest. Allies indicated he hoped to stand in a leadership race if Starmer resigned, but his decision not to challenge directly suggests insufficient support.
Potential candidates in any leadership contest could include former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, energy secretary Ed Miliband, and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, though Burnham would need to win the Makerfield by-election first. Starmer, who has faced record-low popularity ratings just two years after winning a historic majority, has told Streeting he will fight any challenge.
Streeting's resignation follows the departure of close ministerial allies Jess Phillips, Zubir Ahmed, and Alex Davies-Jones, who called for Starmer to resign on Tuesday. Several other backbenchers have also urged the prime minister to go. In his letter, Streeting criticised Starmer's leadership, saying the local elections had convinced him that Starmer was the reason voters were turning away from Labour.
No 10 sources expressed confidence that Streeting lacked the numbers to mount a formal challenge, with one MP noting that his team had been 'desperately trying to drum up support' but likely fell short of the 81 nominations needed. Another MP said Streeting was uncomfortable asking serving ministers to quit their posts to back him.
