Wes Streeting resigns from cabinet, calls on Starmer to resign

Lead

Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary and called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, intensifying the Labour Party’s leadership crisis. In a resignation letter, Streeting said it would have been “dishonourable” to remain in post and that there should now be a contest for the party leadership. He is not immediately launching a challenge, but instead called for a broad field of candidates, a suggestion that could open the door for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.

Streeting, widely considered to be on the party’s right, had spent days gathering support for a challenge after Labour’s disastrous local election results. His resignation came after a week of speculation and a meeting with Starmer on Tuesday that lasted just 15 minutes, during which Streeting told the prime minister he had lost confidence in him. Starmer reportedly said he would fight any challenge.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the crisis has come primarily from The Guardian, which has detailed the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring from multiple perspectives. Early reports indicated that Starmer was increasingly confident he had weathered the immediate threat, with Downing Street insiders suggesting Streeting did not yet have the 81 MPs needed to trigger a formal contest. However, allies of Streeting insisted he had the numbers, describing the notion that he lacked support as “laughable” and noting that “no one has the numbers till the bell is struck.”

The Guardian reported that more than 90 Labour MPs had called for Starmer to go, while about 40 had done so by the weekend before the resignation. The resignations of four ministers—three of them close allies of Streeting—preceded his own departure, in what appeared to be an orchestrated move.

Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, has been cleared by HMRC over her tax affairs, according to a joint scoop by the Guardian and ITV. In an interview with the Guardian, Rayner said she would not challenge Starmer herself but did not rule out being a candidate in a contest, and hinted she might back someone else. She said: “Keir will have to reflect on that,” when asked whether Starmer should step aside.

Andy Burnham, the favoured candidate of many on the soft left, still faces the hurdle of securing a parliamentary seat. His allies have been exploring options, including persuading MPs to stand down, but no seat has yet materialised. Labour’s National Executive Committee has faced calls to extend the nomination period to allow Burnham time to return to Parliament, but Luke Akehurst, an NEC member and Starmer supporter, said the rules should not be “tweaked” to suit one person.

Key Claims

• Streeting resigned as health secretary and called on Starmer to resign, saying it would have been “dishonourable” to remain.
• He criticised Starmer’s “heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices,” saying it “diminishes our politics.”
• Streeting said Labour arrived in government “underprepared in too many areas and lacking clarity of vision and direction."
• He called for a “battle of ideas” in any leadership contest, echoing language used by Andy Burnham.
• Streeting’s resignation letter used phrasing similar to Burnham’s own rhetoric, leading to speculation of a possible alliance between the two.
• About 40 Labour MPs had called for Starmer to quit or name an exit date before the resignation, with more than 90 doing so after.
• Four ministers resigned, three of them close allies of Streeting.
• Angela Rayner was cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs.
• Rayner said she would not challenge Starmer but would not rule out being a candidate.
• Burnham has not yet secured a parliamentary seat, with at least two byelection opportunities having failed to materialise.
• Ed Miliband has been suggested as a possible candidate from the left, with some believing Rayner does not have enough support in the country.
• Streeting has said the UK’s future lies back in the European Union, a position dismissed by culture secretary Lisa Nandy as “odd.”
• The Labour Growth Group, allied to Streeting, has proposed policies including a rise in capital gains tax to fund a 2p cut in national insurance, and allowing Thames Water to fail.

Perspectives

Wes Streeting: Argues that Starmer’s leadership is no longer viable and that the party needs a broad contest to debate ideas. He criticised the government’s preparedness and the party’s heavy-handed internal discipline, while advocating closer ties with Europe.

Keir Starmer and allies: Maintain that the prime minister is staying and will fight any challenge. Downing Street insiders initially suggested Streeting lacked the numbers, and cabinet allies were dispatched to urge MPs to avoid a leadership contest, warning it would plunge the government into chaos.

Andy Burnham and soft-left backers: Burnham is the preferred candidate for many on the soft left, but his path to a contest is blocked by the need to win a parliamentary seat. His allies are pushing for rule changes to allow him to run, while opponents argue the rules should not be changed for one individual.

Angela Rayner: Cleared by HMRC, Rayner has indicated she will not launch a leadership bid but is open to being a candidate if a contest occurs. She emphasised her commitment to delivering change without focusing on personal ambition.