Health Secretary Wes Streeting Resigns, Hints at Future Leadership Bid

Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from Keir Starmer’s government — but is so far keeping his powder dry on a leadership challenge to the embattled British prime minister. Streeting — widely expected to launch his own bid for the top job, although not immediately doing so as he quit the government Thursday — said in an open letter to the PM that it is now “clear” that Starmer will not lead Labour into the next general election and called for a “battle of ideas” about the party’s future. Streeting said “it would be dishonorable and unprincipled” to stay in government given disagreements with the PM. And the ex-Cabinet minister added: “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 that you will facilitate this.” Starmer, whose Labour Party swept to power on a landslide win less than two years ago, is reeling from disastrous election results in England, Wales and Scotland last week. More than 90 of his MPs have called for him to go — either now or at a later date, while four ministers have resigned. Under Labour rules, any leadership contender would need the explicit support of 80 colleagues to spark a contest. But Streeting’s exit message Thursday conspicuously left out an immediate challenge to the leadership — in what may be sign his camp does not yet have the numbers to get the race underway. Starmer has signaled all week that he intends to fight on in the job. Westminster eyes are now on No.10, Streeting’s team, and the rest of the Cabinet, to see who makes the next move. Follow along for the latest updates and analysis from the POLITICO team.