Senior cabinet ministers have reportedly urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to dismiss his Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, accusing him of disloyalty and putting his own leadership ambitions ahead of the party.
Ministers Cite Badenoch's Playbook
The calls for action follow a series of forthright public criticisms made by Streeting against the Labour Party's recent policy decisions. One cabinet minister explicitly told The Times that Starmer should learn from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet just days before his defection to Reform.
Frustration is mounting behind the scenes, with some ministers privately accusing Streeting of "attacking No 10" and positioning himself for a future leadership bid. The health secretary's latest critique came this week, targeting the government's failure to get policy right "the first time" after a number of high-profile U-turns.
A Pattern of "Wild" Behaviour
These policy reversals have included a proposed pub tax raid, taxes on family farms, and, just hours after Streeting's comments, a U-turn on plans for mandatory digital IDs. A second cabinet minister described Streeting's conduct as "wild", alleging he has backbench MPs from the 2024 intake advocating for him to replace Starmer.
"If he doesn't bring it to a head, he'll have to be brought to a heel," the minister warned. A third figure claimed Streeting's prime ministerial ambition has been a constant drive, stating: "If he doesn't become Labour prime minister he will tell himself his entire life has been a failure."
Defence and a Warning of "Utter Chaos"
In response, a spokesman for Wes Streeting condemned the briefing by "Keir's so-called allies" as "incredibly stupid", especially while the Conservatives and Reform are in conflict. The spokesman pointed to Streeting's record on reducing NHS waiting lists and ambulance response times, insisting he is "delivering real change" and "making the case for Keir and for Labour". A Downing Street source also backed Streeting, calling him a "key player in the team".
Meanwhile, other ministers have rallied around the prime minister. During Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called for a "praetorian guard" to form around Starmer, with personal ambition set aside. Starmer has previously warned that any move against him would risk "utter chaos", potentially handing power to Nigel Farage and causing market turmoil amid geopolitical instability.
The tensions highlight the ongoing internal pressures within the Labour government, which has faced scrutiny over its policy stability since taking office. The prime minister's office had already confirmed in November its intention to fend off any leadership challenges, amid speculation about threats from Streeting, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and others.
