Wes Streeting says he will stand in any contest to replace Starmer

LONDON: Former British health minister Wes Streeting has become the first Labour lawmaker to publicly confirm that he would run in any contest to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer as leader of the governing party.

Streeting, who left his cabinet post earlier this week, said in his resignation letter that he had "lost confidence" in Starmer’s leadership and argued that the prime minister lacked vision and direction. In a speech on Saturday, he called for a "proper contest" to replace Starmer and declared, "I’ll be standing", although he has not yet formally initiated such a challenge.

The 43-year-old politician is widely seen as one of Labour’s strongest communicators. Coming from a working-class background and associated with the party’s centre-right wing, Streeting became a familiar media figure during the 2024 general election. His public profile rose further while serving as the minister in charge of England’s National Health Service, a system that remains highly valued but under strain.

Speculation had circulated for months that he was considering a leadership bid as Starmer faced a prolonged period of political difficulty. That prospect drew criticism from some Labour colleagues, who questioned both the wisdom of opening a contest and Streeting’s suitability for the role.

Steven Fielding, a specialist in contemporary British politics at the University of Nottingham, told AFP: "He has got a very acute political sense and an ability to communicate." But he added: "There are certain questions about his politics and how well they fit with at least where the Labour Party is today, and in terms of how different he might be to Keir Starmer."

Background and political positioning

Streeting’s pro-market views, opposition to Brexit and other centrist positions may create difficulties with Labour members, who would choose a new leader. Because Labour won the last election, that person would automatically become prime minister.

Born to teenage parents and raised on a council estate in east London, Streeting has often referred to his upbringing. He has said his maternal grandmother gave birth in a London prison and that his grandfather was an armed robber who knew the Kray Brothers. Speaking on a podcast last year, he said: "My family. are very, very far removed from the Westminster bubble."

After attending a state school and later Cambridge University, he entered politics through Progress, a centrist think tank established in the 1990s by allies of former prime minister Tony Blair. Elected as an MP for an east London constituency in 2015, he opposed Labour’s move to the left under Jeremy Corbyn and only joined the shadow cabinet after Starmer succeeded Corbyn.

As health secretary, Streeting reduced growing hospital appointment waiting lists, but his time in office was marked by tensions with some groups, including junior doctors who went on strike. A former senior Labour adviser told AFP: "He’s had the opportunity to be a big public service reformer and he hasn’t really done it."

Patrick Diamond, a professor of public policy at Queen Mary, University of London, said Streeting "appears to offer much of what Labour is currently lacking as a political party". He said Streeting has "an authentic working-class background and an ability to connect with voters".

Mixed standing inside and outside Labour

Others have pointed to weak approval ratings. A YouGov tracker cited 30% of respondents view Streeting negatively and 12% positively, placing him 52nd among British politicians.

Streeting is openly gay and an Anglican. He told a Christian publication that "my faith made it very difficult to accept my sexuality".

He is also known in political circles for his outgoing personality. At one Labour conference, he sang Robbie Williams’ Angels at karaoke, changing the words to "I’m loving Starmer instead".

As recently as last September, Streeting had said that the idea of challenging Starmer was "disrespectful". A former Labour adviser told AFP that "A lot of people are quite angry with him over what’s happened over the last few days," and accused him of an "over-eagerness" for power which "may be his undoing". The adviser added: "The problem with Wes is he’s always appeared to want it too much."

Streeting published a memoir in 2023 titled One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up. A critic in The Guardian wrote that it "pulls off the very rare trick of being both a little bit boring and unexpectedly fascinating". Critics have argued that publishing a memoir before turning 40 reflected his ambition.

He has also faced criticism over longstanding ties to senior Labour figure Peter Mandelson, who is now toxic after being dismissed as US ambassador over his association with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Streeting has denied that he is a close friend of Mandelson.