Wes Streeting Confirms Intent to Join Labour Leadership Race

Former health secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed he will enter any potential leadership race to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as the UK government faces increasing internal pressure.

In a statement to Sky News, Streeting declared his intention to stand for the leadership, stating, We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I’ll be standing.

Despite his ambition for the top role, Streeting indicated that he would not trigger an immediate leadership contest. He argued that such a move would not be in the party’s interest or the national interest.

Streeting suggested that an immediate challenge would undermine the standing of the eventual winner, noting that the new leader, whether it was me or anyone else, would lack the legitimacy and so we would end up extending instability and uncertainty.

He has called on Sir Keir Starmer to set out a proper leadership timetable and requested that the Prime Minister give his ministers the freedom to nominate whoever they want to see as leader of our party and the prime minister of our country.

The announcement follows a period of speculation regarding Streeting’s future after he resigned from his cabinet position. In a letter posted on X, Streeting characterized the local election results from May 2026 as unprecedented – both in terms of the scale of the defeat and the consequences of that failure.

Streeting further asserted that the unpopularity of this government was a major and common factor in those electoral losses.

Streeting is expected to face competition from Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, who has confirmed his intention to return to Westminster. Burnham will run in the Makerfield by-election, a move made possible after MP Josh Simons resigned to create the vacancy.

Speaking to the BBC, Burnham stated that his run in the Makerfield by-election is an effort to save the Labour Party.

Burnham argued that the party must acknowledge it has not been good enough and that the situation requires a lot of change.

Regarding the current state of the party, Burnham said:

We’ve got to see this as a moment to reclaim the Labour Party, to save it from where it’s been. We can’t just carry on as we are. I want Labour solidly to be the part of working class people people are working class and that requires a lot of change.

Andy Burnham

The internal instability in Westminster has been marked by several high-profile resignations, including that of Jess Phillips.

Following the departure of Wes Streeting, several new appointments have been made to the government:

• James Murray, MP for Ealing North, has been appointed health secretary.
• Lucy Rigby has been appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
• Rachel Blake has been appointed City minister.

As of May 16, 2026, no formal leadership challenge has been triggered.