Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned from the government, citing a loss of confidence in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. In a letter posted on X, Streeting described last week's local election results as "unprecedented – both in terms of the scale of the defeat and the consequences of that failure."
Resignation Letter Details
Streeting argued that the Government's unpopularity was a major factor in the losses, stating there is "no doubt that the unpopularity of this Government was a major and common factor" in the electoral defeat. He added, "We need vision, we have a vacuum," before urging Starmer to listen to colleagues. The letter explicitly called for a leadership contest, saying, "It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election."
Call for New Leadership
Streeting demanded a "broad" process to select the next party leader, emphasizing the need for a fresh direction. His resignation marks a significant escalation in internal Labour Party tensions following the poor local election performance. This is a breaking news story, and further developments are expected.
