Streeting resigns as health secretary, demands Starmer step down

Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary and called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, urging the establishment of a formal Labour Party leadership contest with a broad field of candidates. Streeting, a figure on the party’s right, stated he has lost confidence in Starmer’s leadership following record-low popularity ratings and poor performance in recent local elections.

In a letter to the prime minister following a meeting on Tuesday, Streeting criticised Starmer’s “heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices” and cited specific policy missteps, including the cut to the winter fuel allowance and the “island of strangers” speech, as drivers of Labour’s declining support. He argued that the local election results indicated that Starmer’s leadership was at the heart of voters turning away from the party.

Streeting did not launch his own leadership challenge but instead demanded Starmer’s voluntary resignation to facilitate a fair election. He suggested that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham should be allowed to contest the leadership, noting that if Starmer remained in post, he would automatically appear on the ballot paper in any subsequent contest.

Several of Streeting’s allies, including ministers Jess Phillips, Zubir Ahmed, and Alex Davies-Jones, also stood down on Tuesday, demanding Starmer’s departure. Other allies, such as Melanie Ward, former aide Joe Morris, and backbenchers Chris Curtis, Alan Gemmel, and Jas Athwal, have publicly called for the prime minister to go.

The situation marks the first time a challenger has attempted to dislodge a sitting Labour prime minister. While Streeting had reportedly gathered the 81 MPs necessary to trigger a contest under party rules, he chose not to trigger the process himself, instead insisting on a debate of ideas rather than personalities.