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  "path": "/politics/wes-streeting-quits-resigns-keir-starmer-labour-leadership",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-14T12:03:56.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "'What leadership race?' Labour minister rubbishes challenges to Keir Starmer",
    "Boris Johnson’s father warns against ‘ruthless assassinations’ amid Labour chaos",
    "Wes Streeting’s constituents split on leadership ambitions",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nWes Streeting has quit as Health Secretary, telling the Prime Minister he has lost confidence in his ability to lead the Labour Party.\n\nIn a damning resignation letter, the man eying up the top job accused Sir Keir Starmer of a \"vacuum\" in vision and allowing the Government to \"drift\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe said: \"Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords.\n\n\n\"You also need to listen to your colleagues, including backbenchers, and the heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices diminishes our politics.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt follows a day of mounting speculation the Ilford North MP was eyeing up a bid to boot the PM out of No10.\n\nNevertheless, a Downing Street spokesman repeatedly said that Sir Keir had his \"full confidence\" in his Cabinet minister.\n\nIn his resignation letter, Mr Streeting said it was \"now clear\" Sir Keir would not lead Labour into the next General Election.\n\nHe said his successes in improving the NHS were \"all good reasons for me to remain in post\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the MP continued that staying on as Health \"As you know from our conversation earlier this week, having lost confidence in your leadership, I have concluded that it would be dishonourable and unprincipled to do so.\"\n\n\"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.\"\n\nMr Streeting declared that the debate must be \"broad\" and Labour must boast the \"best possible field of canddiates\".\n\nHis letter went on to mention Labour's \"unprecedented\" local elections results last Friday when the party lost its 27-year grip on the Senedd as well as swathes of support across England and Scotland.\n\n### POLITICS LATEST:\n\n\n\n\n  * 'What leadership race?' Labour minister rubbishes challenges to Keir Starmer\n  * Boris Johnson’s father warns against ‘ruthless assassinations’ amid Labour chaos\n  * Wes Streeting’s constituents split on leadership ambitions\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe former Health Secretary explained that Whitehall's widespread \"unpopularity\", the rising threat of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, as well as policy \"mistakes\" were all reasons for his departure.\n\nHe said: \"Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift. This was underscored by your speech on Monday.\"\n\nMr Streeting also revealed that he informed his boss he had \"lost confidence in his leadership\" during their showdown on Wednesday morning.\n\nBut the latest to join the Labour backbenches took the opportunity to accuse Mr Farage and his party of posing an \"existential threat\" to Britain's future and \"representing a dangerous English nationalism\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"This represents both an existential threat to the future integrity of the United Kingdom, but Reform UK also represent a threat to the values and ideals that have made this country great,\" he wrote.\n\n\"Progressives across our country understand this threat and our responsibility to confront it, but they are increasingly losing faith that the Labour Party is capable of rising to our historic responsibility of defeating racism and offering hope that Britain’s best days lie ahead through social democracy.\"\n\n_****_Despite his rumoured ambitions, Mr Streeting has not announced a formal leadership bid as of yet.\n\nNevertheless, his resignation will continue to fan the flames of a possible leadership contest.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA candidate vying for the top job would require the backing of 80 MPs to launch a formal leadership bid.\n\nThis morning, it was doubted that Mr Streeting had the numbers to do so.\n\nAngela Rayner, Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham are just a few of the names believed to be gearing up to throw their hat in the ring.\n\nNevertheless, allies close to the Prime Minister have vowed he will stay on in his role and will fight any leadership challenge thrown his way.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Wes Streeting QUITS as he tells Keir Starmer: 'I have lost confidence in your leadership'"
}