Great Britain Starmer under pressure: Health Minister resigns
British Health Minister Wes Streeting has resigned in protest against Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The 43-year-old is expected to challenge Starmer for the party leadership. The post of party leader is also linked to the office of Prime Minister, which Starmer would have to relinquish in the event of defeat.
14.05.2026, 14:18
14.05.2026, 14:37
SDA
Streeting announced his resignation in a written statement on the X platform. According to the statement, he had lost confidence in Starmer's leadership. It would be "dishonorable and unprincipled" to remain in office. It was also clear that Starmer would "not lead the Labour Party into the next general election". Labor MPs and trade unions wanted "the debate about the future to be a battle of ideas, not personalities or petty factional fights".
British media had already been speculating for days about Streeting's imminent resignation. Last week, Labour suffered massive losses in the local and regional parliamentary elections in favor of the right-wing populists of Reform UK with Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage. As a result, Starmer was asked to resign by a number of MPs - but the Prime Minister held on to his office.
Nomination triggers ballot vote
To challenge Starmer, Streeting needs the support of 81 of the more than 400 Labor MPs (20 percent) who have to nominate him. This would trigger a ballot of Labor members and other eligible voters, in which other candidates could also apply, each with 81 supporters from the parliamentary group.
As the incumbent party leader, Starmer would automatically stand for election. The party's executive committee will decide on the timing. Starmer last won an election for the party leadership in April 2020 after his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn announced his resignation.
Streeting is actually considered a B-candidate
Starmer received Streeting for a brief meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday morning. A spokesperson for Starmer assured the Prime Minister on Thursday morning that he had "full confidence" in his Health Secretary. The wording has long been seen as a sign that the relationship is anything but good.
However, the ambitious Streeting is actually only considered a B-candidate for the leadership election. He is hated in the left-wing camp of the party. He also had a close relationship with Labour veteran Peter Mandelson, who became embroiled in the abuse scandal surrounding the deceased US multimillionaire and sex offender because of his close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Former deputy head of government Rayner enters the fray
The Mayor of Manchester, Andrew "Andy" Burnham, would have a better chance of turning the Labour Party's fortunes around - but the 56-year-old's return to parliament was prevented by the Labour leadership at the beginning of the year.
From the left of the party, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner surprisingly entered the fray. The 46-year-old resigned from her post as housing minister and deputy head of government in September last year due to an underpayment of land transfer tax.
Now the tax due has been paid and she has been cleared of suspicion of tax evasion, the Guardian reported. Rayner had always maintained that it was an oversight. She has now indicated to the Guardian that she wants to stand for the party chairmanship in an election.
