UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting denies media reports he’s planning to challenge Keir Starmer for Labour leadership, pledging full support for the prime minister
LONDON: UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has firmly denied media reports suggesting he’s plotting to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
Multiple British media outlets reported on Wednesday that Starmer would fight any leadership challenge, possibly emerging after the budget on November 26.
“The prime minister is not fighting for his job this morning,” Streeting told LBC radio.
Both Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood were named as potential candidates who could challenge Starmer’s leadership.
“It’s (a) totally self defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true,” Streeting told Sky News.
“I’m not going to demand the prime minister’s resignation. I support the Prime Minister. I have done since he was elected leader of the Labour Party.”
Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory in 2024 but the party has struggled in government, trailing behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in opinion polls.
Finance minister Rachel Reeves is expected to raise taxes by tens of billions of pounds at her second budget later this month to address fiscal challenges and boost the sluggish economy. – Reuters
