UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigns from government

British Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned from the ruling Labour government, deepening a crisis that threatens to topple Prime Minister Keir Starmer after less than two years in office.

Starmer is under growing pressure to step down following disastrous results in last week’s local elections.

In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Streeting, 43, said that he no longer had “confidence” in Starmer’s leadership, adding that there was “no doubt” that the party’s unpopularity was a “major and common factor in our defeat across England, Scotland and Wales.”

“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,” Streeting said.

“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope that you will facilitate this.”

pic.twitter.com/9qI2Bj35ZK

— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) May 14, 2026

His announcement fell short of triggering a formal leadership contest against Starmer, but piles the pressure on the British leader, who has so far weathered a drip feed of demands for him to step down.

Streeting also did not say whether he had achieved the support of 81 MPs to trigger a contest.

So far, four junior ministers have resigned, including Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, and more than 80 MPs have urged Starmer to quit or set out a roadmap for his departure.

However, no one has formally challenged the prime minister for his position.

While Streeting is popular on the right of the Labour Party, he is disliked by those on the left who would prefer either Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as leader.

However, as Burnham is not a minister, he would have to secure a seat in parliament before he could take part in any leadership challenge.

On Thursday, Rayner announced that she had been “cleared” by tax authorities of any wrongdoing after she was forced to resign from the cabinet after underpaying a property tax, but the tax authorities’ latest conclusion could pave the way for her to stand in any potential leadership contest.

Other potential figures that could stand against Starmer in the event of a leadership challenge include former Labour leader Ed Miliband.

However, Starmer’s spokesperson reiterated on Thursday that the prime minister was not going anywhere.

He “is purely focused on governing. He is getting on with the job of doing just that,” the spokesman told reporters.