Health secretary Wes Streeting has denied he intends to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership, as pressure builds on the prime minister ahead of a high-stakes Budget this month.
Asked if he would rule out a challenge to Starmer following the Budget on November 26, Streeting said “yes”.
“I am not going in to demand the PMs resignation, I support the PM, I have done since he was elected leader of the Labour party,” Streeting told Sky News.
The health secretary criticised briefings by the UK prime minister’s allies about the risks of a possible coup.
“I don’t understand how anyone thinks it is helpful to the PM to suggest he is fighting for his job ,” Streeting said.
The denial on Wednesday comes after Starmer’s allies insisted late on Tuesday that the prime minister was prepared to fight off any challenges to his leadership.
One minister had earlier described the briefings by the UK prime minister’s allies about the risks of a possible coup as “mad”, adding: “Why would you want to create a leadership crisis two weeks before the Budget?”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce tax rises in the November 26 Budget to plug a fiscal hole some economists estimate to be £30bn, including an expected breach of Labour’s election manifesto pledge not to increase income tax.
Starmer is scrambling to boost his government’s fortunes ahead of elections next year in Wales, Scotland and parts of England, when Labour is expected to lose heavily. His allies made it clear that he would be determined to fight on even if there were setbacks at the Budget or at May’s local elections.
