British health minister Wes Streeting resigned from government on Thursday, saying he had lost confidence in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Streeting is the first Cabinet member to resign as Starmer faces pressure to step down after the Labour Party’s disastrous results last week in local and regional elections.
In a post on social media platform X, Streeting shared his resignation letter in which he wrote that it would be “dishonourable and unprincipled” to continue on his post, having “lost confidence” in the leadership of Keir Starmer.
Streeting is among the group of people who could try to unseat Starmer, Associated Press reported.
In his letter, While Streeting highlighted his achievements as Health Secretary, including the reduction of NHS waiting lists, he also criticised Starmer’s leadership. Streeting wrote that “where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift.”
Stagnant economy and high consumer prices in Britain
A stagnant economy and stubbornly high consumer price inflation in Britain has made it difficult for Starmer’s government to deliver on its promises after winning a landslide election victory less than two years ago.
Starmer has vowed to remain in office, warning lawmakers that any leadership contest would plunge the government into “chaos” at a time it should be focused on issues like the cost of living crisis and war in the Middle East.
Streeting comes from the moderate wing of the left-leaning Labour Party, as does Starmer.
Under Labour Party rules, any potential challenger to the prime minister would have to have the backing of 81 of the party’s 403 members in the House of Commons.
