UK’s Starmer faces Labour leadership challenge after health minister quits
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced open rebellion inside the Labour Party after Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the Cabinet, a move that set speculation swirling about a possible leadership fight. Streeting became the first senior minister to quit in a situation that, according to the report, was viewed as a precursor to challenging Starmer’s leadership.
In his resignation letter, Streeting said he had lost confidence in Starmer and argued that the prime minister “should not serve out the rest of his term.” Streeting wrote that while Starmer had shown “courage and statesmanship on the world stage — not least in keeping Britain out of the war in Iran,” Labour lacked the “vision” and “direction” the country needed, describing the party’s direction as “drift.”
Streeting’s resignation did not explicitly endorse a single rival for the next election due by 2029. Instead, the letter suggested Starmer should step aside to allow a “broad” field of candidates to debate the future of the party, as pressure has mounted on the prime minister following last week’s disappointing results for Labour in local and regional elections.
Starmer answered Streeting with a separate letter expressing that he was “truly sorry” to see him leave government and praising Streeting’s stewardship of the National Health Service, without addressing Streeting’s criticisms in his response. Starmer then outlined a message about working together, saying he hoped the pair “can work together” to show Labour in power could address problems his opponents exploit and bring people together amid what he described as division.
The shake-up moved quickly into personnel changes. Starmer appointed James Murray, previously a Treasury minister, to take over the health portfolio after Streeting’s departure, while the article noted that Starmer has vowed to remain in office and warned that any leadership contest could destabilize the government when lawmakers should focus on cost-of-living pressures and war in the Middle East.
The leadership turbulence also drew in other prominent Labour figures. Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said she had reached an agreement with authorities to resolve questions about her taxes that forced her to leave the Cabinet last September, and she told the Guardian that Starmer should “reflect on” his position. Rayner said she was ready to “play my part” in a leadership election if Streeting triggered a contest.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, described as a potential rival, is ineligible to lead because he does not have a seat in Parliament. The report said a Labour lawmaker indicated he would step aside to create room for Burnham, and Burnham said he would seek permission from the party to enter a special election so he could then pursue a leadership challenge if elected. Burnham wrote on X that he “grew up in this area” and had lived there for 25 years, adding that he cared about the area’s people and said they had been “let down by national politics.”
Pressure for Starmer to step aside intensified after Labour suffered heavy losses in local and regional elections last week, with the article linking voter anger to a government that failed to deliver on pledges to boost economic growth and improve living standards for working people. The report said a stagnant economy and stubbornly high inflation have made it difficult to deliver on those promises since Labour returned to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition.
Even as the leadership wrangling dominated attention, the article also pointed to areas of positive news for the government. It cited official figures showing the British economy grew 0.6% in the first three months of the year, and it said Treasury chief Rachel Reeves characterized the figures as evidence that her policies are working while warning against plunging the country into “chaos” during conflict abroad. Streeting, meanwhile, was described as highlighting that NHS waiting lists for appointments had fallen for the fifth straight month, a record he is likely to use if he runs for leader.
The article said efforts to depose Labour’s leader are relatively rare, adding that Labour has never ousted a prime minister midterm, unlike the Conservative Party. Jonathan Tonge, a professor of politics at the University of Liverpool, said in remarks quoted by the report that Labour “don’t do ruthless on their leader” and “don’t tend to depose their leader,” contrasting that with what he described as the Conservatives’ readiness to act ruthlessly.