After days of deliberation, Wes Streeting has finally quit Keir Starmer’s government. At the stroke of 1 p.m. GMT, the Ilford MP resigned as Health Secretary in a two-page letter that laid out his differences with the UK Prime Minister. He details, at length, the results the pair have achieved in government and says they offer “good reasons for me to remain in post.” But:
As you know from our conversation earlier this week, having lost confidence in your leadership, I have concluded that it would be dishonorable and unprincipled to do so.
It is the opening salvo of a merciless script that goes for Starmer’s jugular.
Streeting pins blame for the “unprecedented” results of last week, which pose “an existential threat to the future integrity” of the UK on Starmer himself. For:
Streeting has fired the starting gun on the leadership race to replace Keir Starmer
Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift. This was underscored by your speech on Monday.
Then comes the kicker: “Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords.” Few people who have worked for and with Starmer will disagree with that assessment of his ruthlessness.
Streeting is careful to emphasize the challenges facing Britain: “Wars raging in Europe and the Middle East… it is not clear whether democracy or tyranny will define the 21st century.” He pays Starmer some credit, suggesting “you have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage – not least in keeping Britain out of the war in Iran.” But despite the statesmanlike undertones, this is a letter laser-focused on the Labour party – hence a reference to colleagues’ egos:
You also need to listen to your colleagues, including backbenchers, and the heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices diminishes our politics.
It is almost as though Streeting wants their votes.
Streeting has today fired the starting gun on the leadership race to replace Keir Starmer. His allies claim that the Ilford MP’s own record in his patch suggests he is best placed to rebuild the 2024 election coalition. One says:
Redbridge results show Wes can win back from left and right, where others can’t. That will be a big message to colleagues in the days and weeks ahead.
Expect to hear many such similar messages trotted out by Labour moderates over the coming few hours. As Patrick Maguire points out, the letter, crucially, also gives him a potential off-ramp to endorse Burnham and depersonalizes the process.:
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. 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.
In not formally announcing that he is standing, it ramps up the pressure on Starmer and enables Streeting to get a second hit whenever he formally announces a challenge.
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