Starmer latest: Streeting ‘poised for leadership bid’ as key ministerial aides resign in call for PM to quit

Joe Morris has resigned as a ministerial aide to Wes Streeting, who is widely seen as a potential leadership contender, as he called for Sir Keir Starmer to set out “a swift timetable” to step aside.

In a message posted on social media, he wrote: “The message from last week’s elections was clear: the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public.

“Local councillors who have served their communities for decades, as well as first time candidates and the Labour members who campaigned for them, ended up taking the blame for decisions that were not theirs.

“A Reform government would destroy our public services and cripple our economy. It would target the voiceless and the most vulnerable while enriching the very richest. Despite the Prime Minister’s best efforts, voters simply do not accept that he can lead the change they voted for.

“Whether in Northumberland or in Newcastle, constituents need a Labour government in order to reduce the cost of living, to invest in our communities and our infrastructure and to make good on the promises made at the general election.

“I have boundless confidence in the Labour Party and in our ability to rise to this moment. However, regrettably, it is now clear that the Prime Minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change.

“It is in the best interests of the country and the party that the Prime Minister sets out a swift timetable to ensure that a new leader is in place to regain the confidence of the public and to ensure that the government can deliver on the commitments it has made.

“I was elected after 100 years of Conservative MPs treating our area with complacency. My first duty will always be to deliver for communities in my constituency, from Gilsland to Walbottle and from Kielder to Whittonstall. Only a strong Labour government, led by strong leadership, can deliver the change our communities deserve.”

Speculation is mounting that Wes Streeting is about to attempt to launch a coup against Keir Starmer after a number of his allies quit the government and called for the PM to go.

Mr Streeting’s camp was remaining silent but Labour sources have told The Independent that the health secretary is now expected to launch a leadership bid on Tuesday.

This came as his parliamentary private secretary Joe Morris quit the government while other allies Sally Jamieson and Tom Rutland also resigned from junior positions and called for Sir Keir to go.

The push against the embattled prime minister by Mr Streeting’s allies began at the weekend with former minister John Simons from the right of the party joining leftwingers in demanding Sir Keir set a timetable to end his premiership.

After the prime minister’s make or break speech on Monday morning another leading ally of Mr Street Chris Curtis, chair of the influential growth group, joined those demanding the prime minister goes.

This was followed by Jamieson, Rutland and Morris, with Streeting’s neighbour Jas Athwal also demanding he goes.

There has been speculation that Mr Streeting has been considering a leadership bid since late last year when Downing Street felt the need to brief against him.

But with more than 60 MPs from different wings of the party now calling for a change of leadership, Sir Keir appears to be too weakened to hold off a challenge.

In a statement posted on social media, Tom Rutland said: “It is with regret that I believe the Prime Minister should now set out a timetable for his departure and for a new leader to be chosen to lead the Labour Party and the country.

“I watched brilliant councillors lose their seats last week through no fault of their own.

“Time and time again, speaking with voters at their doors, I heard little dislike for local councillors nor for the Labour Party, but the animosity towards the Prime Minister was clear from every voter who was choosing to vote for another party or considering doing so.

“It reminded me of the reaction I got when speaking with voters under a former leader.

“It is clear to me that the Prime Minister has lost authority not just within the Parliamentary Labour Party but across the country and that he will not be able to regain it.

“That significantly impedes the ability of the Government to deliver the change that people voted for at the general election — change that we must deliver.

“We also have a generational responsibility to stop Reform’s hatred and division from taking over our great country.

“It weighs heavily on me and all of us must do all we can to prevent this from happening.

“I do not have faith that the Prime Minister can meet this challenge.

“It is not compatible to hold this view and continue to serve on the frontbench, so I have resigned as a parliamentary private secretary to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and will continue to represent my wonderful constituents in East Worthing and Shoreham from the backbenches.”

Changing a leader – especially in the Labour Party – is not easy and comes with great peril. But there is also a fatal cost to not doing anything, and if you need any further proof of that, just speak to any Democrat, says Ayesha Hazarika. Read below.

Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, has become the 54th Labour MP to call for the prime minister to go.

She wrote in a statement on Facebook: “I’ve spent the weekend listening to my constituents, local party members, and local councillors. They are as fed up as I am.

“Without a massive change in approach, when elections are held in my corner of Lancashire next year, voters will send the same message with even greater force.

“I wanted to give the Prime Minister the chance to set out that change this morning. It was a passionate speech – passion I wish I’d heard more often from the Prime Minister over the last two years.

“But the content of the speech did not suggest anything close to the scale of change needed to rebuild communities like mine.

“I believe that the Prime Minister should announce a timetable for leaving office. We must have a new leader in place well in advance of next year’s local elections.

“For our Party to rediscover its connection with working-class communities like mine, we need a democratic contest involving the most talented leaders from across our movement.

“A cabinet appointment, without consulting the wider party and labour movement, would risk repeating the same mistakes already made.”

Blue Labour, a faction of the party led in parliament by Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden which promotes a socially conservative agenda, has called for the prime minister to set out a timetable for his departure.

The group said in a statement on X: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure.

“Nothing has convinced us that he is able to rise to the challenge confronting this country.

“As the process unfolds, no candidate should be blocked from standing; the job is too important for factional warfare and NEC machinations.

“Labour must now navigate a very difficult transition to a new prime minister.

“It must avoid the danger of retreating back into its comfort zone in which it can pretend there are no hard choices and trade-offs in rebuilding the country.

“There is a hard road ahead. The people of our islands are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.

“The next leader must have a clear programme of government and story to tell the British people about how we will get there.”

A move to terminate a trade union’s affiliation to the Labour Party has been defeated despite criticism of the Government’s policies since it came into office.

Delegates at the annual conference of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in Bournemouth held a lengthy debate on the historic relationship with Labour, some arguing it was time to “reclaim” the party.

Midlands delegate Neil Singh questioned what influence the union had on issues including ownership of the Royal Mail and NHS privatisation and said the Birmingham bin strike showed that Labour was prepared to “take on” workers involved in disputes.

He said the Government had failed to tackle wealth inequality, asking why the CWU was continuing to fund a party he believed was not backing working class people.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward pointed to the achievements of the Government such as the Employment Rights Act, rent reforms and ending the two-child benefit cap.

But he said achievements had been overshadowed by “self-inflicted mistakes” on issues including the winter fuel allowance and the Waspi campaign on women’s pensions.

A motion calling for the CWU to terminate its affiliation to Labour was defeated.