Former UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who resigned from the government earlier this week, announced on Saturday that he will join the race to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer once a Labour Party leadership contest is triggered. Mr. Starmer's government is on the brink as the UK leader faces calls to step down following the ruling Labour Party's heavy defeat in local elections.
While Mr. Starmer has brushed aside mounting criticism, an internal Labour contest to replace him appears increasingly inevitable in London. Although he has not yet formally launched a leadership challenge, Mr. Streeting confirmed on Saturday that he will seek to replace Mr. Starmer and become the new leader of the centre-left Labour Party. Whoever leads the governing party, which holds a large majority in the UK Parliament, would automatically become prime minister.
“We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the pitch, and I am going to be in it,” Mr. Streeting said at a think-tank event in London on Saturday. The former health secretary called on Mr. Starmer to set a timetable for his departure. In a speech to Labour supporters at a meeting of the Progress group, Mr. Streeting criticised the Prime Minister, saying Labour “came into government unprepared in too many areas and lacked a clear vision and direction,” according to the UK's Guardian newspaper.
On Thursday, Mr. Streeting resigned from the Labour government, stating he no longer had “confidence” in Mr. Starmer's leadership. A day later, Mr. Streeting endorsed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, viewed as a frontrunner to replace Mr. Starmer as Labour leader and lead the country. “We need the best players on the pitch. No doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them,” Mr. Streeting wrote on X. “Andy is the best chance of winning, and that has to overcome factional interests or backing an individual.”
Mr. Starmer's tenure has been dogged by controversy over the appointment of Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, as well as frustration over slow domestic policy changes. More than 80 MPs in the UK Parliament have called for him to step down, while four junior ministers have resigned. Several Labour politicians appear to be rallying around Mr. Burnham.
On Thursday, Labour MP Josh Simons resigned his seat in Makerfield to clear the way for Mr. Burnham to stand for Parliament, a necessary step if he is to challenge Mr. Starmer for the party leadership. The Labour Party has agreed for Mr. Burnham to seek a return to Parliament. A by-election in Makerfield is expected as early as next month – a local race that could decide who leads the UK after Mr. Starmer. If Mr. Burnham is elected to Parliament, he would need the backing of 81 Labour MPs, 20% of the party in Parliament, to launch a challenge against Mr. Starmer.
Another potential candidate, Angela Rayner, said on Thursday that the tax authority had cleared her of wrongdoing following an investigation into her tax affairs, which had been seen as a hurdle to her leadership ambitions.
