LONDON (AP) — Efforts to unseat British Prime Minister Keir Starmer from inside his own government broke out into open rebellion Thursday, with one potential rival resigning from the Cabinet and another clearing the way to enter any future leadership contest.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the first senior minister to quit Starmer ’s Cabinet on Thursday in what is expected to be a precursor to challenging his leadership.
Starmer is facing growing pressure from his own Labour Party to step down after disastrous results for Labour last week in local and regional elections. The election drubbing cemented doubts among many Labour lawmakers about Starmer’s judgment, vision and leadership ability –- a brutal indictment on a leader who returned the party to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition.
“You have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage — not least in keeping Britain out of the war in Iran,” Streeting wrote in an excoriating resignation letter. “But where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift.”
“It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election,” he added.
Streeting, whose political ambitions have long been known, is considered one of a handful of people who could try to unseat Starmer. Doing so would not automatically spark a national election. Labour was elected for a five-year term, and British political rules allow parties to change leader without going to the country.
Another likely challenger, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, said Thursday that she had reached an agreement with tax authorities to clear up questions about her taxes that forced her to leave the Cabinet last September. Rayner told the Guardian newspaper that Starmer should “reflect on” his position, adding that she was ready to “play my part” in any leadership election if Streeting were to trigger a contest.
Pressure for Starmer to step aside has intensified since Labour suffered heavy losses in local and regional elections last week, underscoring voter frustration with a government that has failed to deliver on pledges to boost economic growth and improve living standards for working people.
A stagnant economy and stubbornly high consumer price inflation have made it difficult for Starmer’s government to deliver on its promises after winning a landslide election victory less than two years ago.
Starmer has vowed to remain in office, warning lawmakers that any leadership contest would plunge the government into “chaos” at a time it should be focused on issues like the cost of living crisis and war in the Middle East.
His effort to fight off a leadership challenge was bolstered Thursday morning by a rare bit of positive economic news.
Gross domestic product, a broad measure of economic activity, grew 0.6% in the first three months of the year, compared with 0.2% in the previous quarter, the Office for National Statistics said.
Treasury chief Rachel Reeves said the figures showed that her policies were working and that renewed economic growth would allow the government to put more money into public services and programs to support those hit by the high cost of living.
