As pressure mounts on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down following a growing rebellion in the Labor Party, Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the first senior minister to resign on Thursday in what was seen as a harbinger of challenges to Starmer’s leadership.
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The AP, citing Streeting, said he had lost confidence in Starmer, who should not serve the remainder of his term. In his resignation letter, the former health secretary wrote: “You have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage – not least by preventing Britain from going to war in Iran,” adding: “But where we need vision, we have a vacuum.
But Streeting has avoided saying he is the best candidate to lead the party at the next election in 2029, suggesting Starmer should step aside to allow a “broad” field of candidates to debate the party’s future.
Starmer’s response to Streeting’s resignation
Responding to Streeting’s resignation in a letter, the British Prime Minister said he was “truly sorry” to see him leave the government, while praising his stewardship of the NHS.
Starmer made no mention of the former health secretary’s criticism and expressed hope that the two could work together to prove that Labor in power can solve the problems their opponents exploit, can inspire hope where they want despair and can bring “people together where they want division”.
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Pressure is mounting on Starmer to resign
The development comes as the British prime minister faces intense pressure to step down following the party’s disastrous performance in last week’s local and regional elections. The heavy election defeat deepened doubts among many in the party about Starmer’s judgement, vision and leadership skills, a severe blow to the leader who returned Labor to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition.
Possible opponents against Starmer
According to reports, unless Starmer bows to pressure and steps down, any challenger will need the support of a fifth of Labor lawmakers, or 81, to trigger a leadership contest.
For several days, Streeting was expected to launch the offering on Thursday. But the wording of his statement has now sparked speculation that he does not yet have enough votes to challenge Starmer, or that he is giving the incumbent prime minister a chance to announce his resignation on his own terms.
In addition to Streeting, the other likely challenger is former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, who said she had reached a deal with authorities to clear up questions about her taxes that forced her to quit cabinet last September. Speaking to The Guardian, Rayner said Starmer should “reflect” on her position, adding that she was prepared to “play my part” in any leadership election if Streeting launches a contest.
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A third challenger, Andy Burnham, is ineligible for the leadership because he does not have a seat in parliament, but on Thursday afternoon the Labor lawmaker said he would step down to make room, and Burnham said he would ask the party for permission to enter a special election. If elected, he could then challenge the leadership.
Why is Starmer facing pressure to resign?
More than 80 Labor lawmakers expressed displeasure with Starmer after the party suffered heavy election losses last week, underscoring voters’ frustration with his government’s failure to deliver on promises to boost economic growth and improve working people’s living standards.
A stagnant economy and stubbornly high inflation have also made it difficult for the Starmer government to deliver on the promises it made when it won a landslide election victory less than two years ago.
While the British prime minister has so far rejected calls to resign, it remains to be seen whether other ministers in his cabinet will resign in the coming weeks, forcing him to step down.
