Wes Streeting resigns plunging Sir Keir Starmer's government into chaos
Wes Streeting’s resignation could fire the gun on a leadership contest in which Angela Rayner has also indicated she could run, with other possible contenders including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, armed forces minister Al Carns and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Wes Streeting has quit as Health Secretary, paving the way for a leadership challenge and plunging Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership into crisis.
In his resignation letter, Mr Streeting criticised the “drift” at the top of Government and told the Prime Minister it is “clear” he will not lead Labour into the next election.
However, the Ilford North MP did not openly declare a leadership challenge in his letter, instead saying there should be “the best possible field of candidates” to replace Sir Keir.
His letter read: “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. I support that approach and I hope you will facilitate it.”
Mr Streeting’s resignation follows days of turmoil in which calls have mounted for the Prime Minister to step down in the wake of Labour’s election mauling last week.
Around 100 Labour MPs, including more than a dozen from Yorkshire, have called for Sir Keir to stand aside, however the Prime Minister has dug in.
Several ministers, the most notable being Jess Phillips, have resigned, however Mr Streeting is the first Cabinet minister to call on Sir Keir to go.
It could fire the gun on a leadership contest in which Angela Rayner has also indicated she could run, with other possible contenders including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, armed forces minister Al Carns and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Ms Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, announced earlier today that she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing in an investigation over her tax affairs, paving the way for a potential leadership bid.
Asked whether she would enter a contest, she told the Guardian: “I’ll play my part in doing everything we possibly can to deliver the change, because it’s not a personal ambition, I know the difference it makes.”
She said Sir Keir should “reflect on” whether to step aside following a bruising set of local election results that have intensified speculation about his future in No 10, with Labour openly divided over how best to move forward.
Ms Rayner said the Health Secretary would need to “justify his actions”.
“I do understand my colleagues and why they’re angry and upset,” she said. “I do understand why we’re having this conversation now, but we need to get through that as quickly as possible.”
Ms Rayner has settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty, but has not paid any penalty as a result of the HMRC investigation into her underpayment of the levy on a property purchase, the row which triggered her resignation from the Government and had overshadowed her prospects of a potential leadership run.
Ms Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, also denied she had done a deal with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, whose path back to Westminster would be complicated by needing to fight and win a by-election.
Rumours have swirled around Westminster that Mr Burnham was due to announce that a Manchester MP was prepared to stand aside for him, however so far that has not materialised.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned colleagues not to put the economy “at risk” by “plunging the country into chaos” after figures showed gross domestic product grew in the first three months of the year.