UK's Streeting vows to stand in any Labour leadership race

Rebecca Smith, Bloomberg News on May 16, 2026

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Wes Streeting, who resigned as Britain’s health secretary two days ago, vowed to stand in any U.K. leadership contest seeking to unseat Keir Starmer as prime minister.

In his first speech since leaving Starmer’s government, Streeting said the Labour party’s disastrous local election results were “unprecedented,” and warned that nationalists are in power “in every corner of the U.K.”

Speaking at a conference hosted by a Labour-aligned organization in London on Saturday, he said progressives in the country are “increasingly losing faith that Labour is capable of rising to the challenge,” reiterating that the party needs to see “a battle of ideas,” not personalities. He also called for a new special relationship with the European Union, saying Britain’s future lies within Europe and “one day, back in the European Union.”

In response to a question following the speech, he said: “We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I’ll be standing.”

Streeting’s departure from the Cabinet triggered a flurry of action, with several lawmakers mobilizing against Starmer. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said on Thursday that he planned to contest the seat in Makerfield vacated by Josh Simons, who resigned the same day to offer Burnham a chance to return to Westminster. Burnham was subsequently given the go-ahead to stand in the upcoming by-election by Labour’s National Executive Committee.

Streeting has offered his support for Burnham’s return.

“We need our best players on the pitch,” Streeting said earlier this week. “There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them. The Makerfield by-election will be tough. Votes will need to be earned. Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person.”

The by-election in northwest England, scheduled for June 18, is far from a foregone conclusion for Burnham. The constituency is hotly contested by Nigel Farage’s Reform party, which picked up 50.4% of the vote share in the recent local elections, with Labour taking just 22.7%.

Streeting is only one of the party figures likely to throw their hats into the ring in the event of a formal leadership competition. Former deputy premier Angela Rayner said Thursday morning that she had been cleared of wrongdoing in an investigation into her tax affairs, while a sizable faction on the party’s left was working to secure a parliamentary seat for Burnham, who can’t run without one.