Former UK health secretary Wes Streeting confirms bid to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader after quitting Cabinet
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Former UK health secretary Wes Streeting confirms bid to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader after quitting Cabinet")
Former UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting Photograph: (AFP)
Starmer's position significantly weakened after the Labour Party's poor showing in the recently concluded regional polls, followed by the resignations of four junior ministers and UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Senior Labour MP Wes Streeting on Saturday (May 16) confirmed that he will contest to replace Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party and become Britain’s next prime minister, days after resigning as UK health secretary following the party’s poor performance in local elections.
Streeting stepped down from the government on Thursday and sharply criticised Starmer’s leadership in his resignation statement. However, no other senior minister resigned alongside him, and he did not immediately trigger a formal leadership contest.
Later the same day, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham announced plans to contest for a parliamentary seat, a move that could allow him to enter the Labour leadership race if successful.
Although Streeting has not formally launched the leadership challenge process, he confirmed during a think tank event in London that he intends to enter the race.
“We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I'll be standing,” Streeting said during a speech and question-and-answer session.
The 43-year-old MP, who belongs to Labour’s right wing and has long been viewed as a potential leadership contender, said he did not want the process to begin without giving other possible candidates enough time to join.
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“If we had rushed ahead without giving Andy a chance to stand, the new leader, whether it was me or anyone else, would lack the legitimacy,” he said.
How Labour’s leadership contest works
Under Labour Party rules, a leadership contest can begin if at least 20 per cent of Labour MPs formally support a challenger and submit the required paperwork. With Labour holding a large majority in the UK Parliament, the party leader automatically becomes prime minister.
Starmer, as the current party leader, would also be eligible to contest and defend his position if the challenge moves forward.
Once candidates are confirmed, Labour members and affiliated groups vote by ranking contenders in order of preference. A candidate must secure more than 50 per cent of the vote to win.
Also Read: UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigns, says he has ‘lost confidence’ in PM’s leadership
Streeting targets Keir Starmer’s leadership after resigning
Streeting’s resignation marked one of the biggest exits from Starmer’s Cabinet so far. In his strongly worded resignation statement, he said he had “lost confidence” in the Prime Minister’s leadership.
“Having lost confidence in your leadership, I have concluded that it would be dishonourable and unprincipled to do so,” Streeting wrote.
“Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift,” he wrote.
