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Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, is scheduled to meet Health Secretary Wes Streeting today, a potential rival for his leadership, as Labour MPs intensify efforts to remove him from office.
The meeting follows the resignation of four ministers, including notable MP Jess Phillips, who stepped down as safeguarding minister, along with Streeting ally Zubir Ahmed.
Over 80 Labour MPs have also called for Sir Keir to resign, highlighting significant fractures within the party regarding his leadership.
Despite the unrest, Sir Keir expressed his commitment to governing during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, with more than 100 MPs and cabinet allies rallying in support of his position and cautioning against a leadership contest.
The Prime Minister’s authority has been challenged following a disappointing set of election results last week, leading to the recent resignations and chaos in Downing Street. This upheaval occurs just before Sir Keir’s government is set to outline its legislative agenda in the upcoming King’s Speech.
Streeting is expected to meet with Sir Keir at Number 10 ahead of the King’s Speech, which marks the commencement of a new parliamentary session.
In response to calls for his resignation, Sir Keir emphasized that the nation “expects us to get on with governing” and noted that a formal leadership challenge has yet to be initiated.
A leadership election can only occur if the leader resigns or if Labour MPs mount a challenge when no vacancy exists. For a challenger to initiate a formal process, they must secure backing from 20% of Labour MPs, 81 would need to support an opponent to kickstart the proceedings.
Streeting has been vocal about his ambitions for leadership and enjoys substantial backing from Labour MPs, particularly those aligned with the center and right factions of the party.
Some supporters of Streeting have circulated letters suggesting that Sir Keir has lost public support, while ministers sympathetic to the health secretary have resigned.
However, Sir Keir has resisted pressure to step down, and some MPs traditionally viewed as Streeting supporters have signed statements asserting that now is not the right time for a leadership contest. Even if Streeting lacks sufficient backing, other challenges persist.
The Prime Minister has also withdrawn from a meeting with unions that financially support the Labour Party. These unions are anticipated to release a statement indicating that Sir Keir should not lead the party into the next general election.
The uncertainty surrounding Sir Keir’s position adds an uncomfortable layer to the King’s Speech. The address is expected to unveil over 35 bills and draft legislation, covering issues such as immigration, NHS reforms, police reforms, and a potential pathway to nationalizing British Steel.
Whether Sir Keir will remain in office long enough to enact the promised legislation remains uncertain in Westminster.
In an effort to stabilize his precarious premiership, Sir Keir declared that “incremental change won’t cut it” and vowed to confront the significant challenges facing the nation.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong