Wes Streeting denies Number 10 accusations of leadership plotting

Wes Streeting has denied allegations of plotting amid briefings made by Number 10 sources that he and other senior Cabinet ministers are preparing to challenge the Prime Minister for the leadership of the Labour Party.

Downing Street officials briefed the press yesterday evening that Keir Starmer would be prepared to fight to remain as Labour leader were there any challenge made against him, with the Health Secretary among those singled out as a potential plotter to oust the Prime Minister.

Allies to the Prime Minister argued overnight that a potential protracted leadership contest would spook financial markets and cause chaos that would damage the party’s brand.

It comes amid suggestions that anger or disgruntlement at the Budget in a fortnight’s time or at potentially poor results at May’s devolved and local elections could prompt some in the Parliamentary Labour Party to trigger a leadership ballot.

On the morning broadcast round, Streeting accused some in Number 10 of “watching too much Celebrity Traitors” and said he did not plan to challenge the Prime Minister “at the Budget or any other time”.

He told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge: “It’s a totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true – and I don’t understand how anyone thinks it’s helpful to the Prime Minister either to suggest he’s fighting for his job.”

READ MORE: ‘Labour needs a reset’, says boss of Britain’s largest trade union

However, one Labour minister is reported to have said they are “certain” that Streeting has been gathering support for a potential leadership bid, claiming he was “actively plotting by phoning ministers and backbenchers”.

One claim reported last night suggested that the Health Secretary had contacted as many as 50 ministers and asked them to resign from the government if he challenged the Prime Minister.

Fears over plotting were heightened later last night after a ‘Wes for Leader’ website was registered online. However, a spokesman for the health secretary has denied any involvement, telling The Telegraph: “It is categorically nothing to do with anyone around Wes. Someone’s mischief-making again.”

Overwhelmingly, the sentiment among MPs appears to be shock and distress at how Number 10 has handled rumours of manoeuvring for the leadership.

One MP told Sky News political correspondent Mhairi Aurora: “I’m more worried about Keir’s leadership today than I was yesterday. It would be no surprise that he’d been thinking about his path to the leadership but for Number 10 to respond in this way is self destructive.”

READ MORE: ‘Cut bills, build trust: the new formula for progressive politics’

According to the party’s rulebook, nominations for the leadership when there is no vacancy require the support of 20 percent of the PLP (currently 81 MPs), and will then need support from constituency parties and trade unions before a vote of members takes place.

Editor of LabourList Emma Burnell said: “Labour has a hard enough job in government without inflicting damage on itself. What in the last few years has convinced anyone with a modicum of understanding of politics that briefing against one of your own ministers and exposing your own weakness was a good strategy?

“That this was done right before Streeting was due on the broadcast round to talk about the NHS, something the public care far more about than the internal politics of the Labour Party, makes the whole thing even more baffling.”

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.

Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].