Wes Streeting resigns from Cabinet

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned from the cabinet, but hasn’t launched a leadership bid yet.

After days of speculation, in what has been a frantic few days in Westminster, Streeting called on Keir Starmer to resign and said in his letter that there should be a contest with a wide field of candidates.

In his resignation letter which Streeting posted publicly, he championed his work as Health Secretary, and highlighted how he had delivered against the ambitious targets that had been set for him, including falling NHS waiting lists, improving A&E waiting times and the recruitment of 2,000 additional GPs.

However Streeting also wrote that he had lost confidence in Starmer’s leadership, adding: “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.”

Streeting’s resignation comes after days of uncertainty, after close to 100 Labour MPs called on the Prime Minister to resign or set out a timetable for his departure. However, more than 100 Labour MPs also signed a letter backing the Prime Minister.

Starmer has insisted that he will not resign and said he would prove his doubters wrong after a difficult set of local election results for the party.

There have been no further cabinet resignations following Streeting’s departure, with Peter Kyle and Pat McFadden, saying they are not quitting and continue to support the prime minister.