Wes Streeting has resigned as Health Secretary and said Keir Starmer cannot lead Labour into the next general election.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Streeting said: “It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism. It needs to be broad, and it needs to be the best possible field of candidates.”
Streeting cited several mistakes for Labour’s poor performance at the local and devolved elections last week, including “individual mistakes like the decision to cut the winter fuel allowance to the ‘island of strangers’ speech, all of which have left the country not knowing who we are or what we really stand for”.
He said: “Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift. This was underscored by your speech on Monday. Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords.
“You also need to listen to your colleagues, including backbenchers, and the heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices diminishes our politics.”
Streeting also said that he is “deeply saddened to be leaving government in this way”.
However, the statement stops short of him saying that he plans to challenge the Prime Minister for the party leadership, amid widespread speculation that Streeting was gearing up for a bid to oust Keir Starmer from office.
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) May 14, 2026
READ MORE: Streeting would lose leadership contest against Keir Starmer, poll reveals
Streeting had been rumoured to be plotting a bid to oust Starmer as Labour leader and as Prime Minister for several months, with claims that MPs loyal to him are among those to call for the Prime Minister’s resignation in recent days.
To trigger a leadership contest, Streeting will need the support of 81 members of the Parliamentary Labour Party. However, under the rules for such an election, Starmer, as the incumbent leader, is not required to seek nominations.
He is the first member of the Cabinet to resign amid growing calls for Starmer to resign following the party’s poor performance at local and devolved election results last week.
More to follow.
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