Wes Streeting denies plotting to oust Keir Starmer as prime minister | Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting has denied he wants to oust Keir Starmer and compared rumors he is planning to challenge the leadership to conspiracy theories.
Britain’s health secretary categorically rejected an offer to challenge the prime minister on Wednesday morning, calling the rumors “unhelpful” and “self-defeating”.
Asked if he could demand Starmer’s resignation after the budget is finished, he told Sky News: “Yes, I didn’t shoot JFK either.
“I don’t know where Lord Lucan is, I have nothing to do with Shergar, and I think the US managed to land on the moon. I don’t think they are fake.”
His comments followed late-night briefings from No 10, where the prime minister’s allies were fighting on his behalf amid fears his job could be threatened after the budget in two weeks.
A spokesman for Streeting was forced to deny reports that a group of around 50 Labor leaders were prepared to leave the government if the November 26 budget went negative.
The briefings came as part of a ploy to belittle some senior figures in the Labor Party who were said to be “maneuvering” to replace Starmer, the Guardian and others have reported.
According to reports, No 10 singled out the health secretary to warn of other potential leadership challenges from senior Labor figures including home secretary Shabana Mahmood and energy minister Ed Miliband.
On Wednesday Streeting denied the rumors, telling Sky News: “I think the person tipping this off has been watching too much Famous Traitors and this is the worst attack on a believer I’ve seen since Joe Marler was kicked out and exiled in the final.
“This is a completely self-defeating briefing, especially because it is not true, and I don’t understand how anyone thinks it will be helpful to the prime minister.”
Meanwhile, a No 10 insider praised Streeting as a brilliant health minister and insisted the reports were all speculation.
The senior official said the prime minister would fight any challenge to his leadership but added it would be irresponsible to launch such an initiative and insisted Starmer was focused on governing.
But one critic within the government told No 10 that many news organizations had gone into “full bunker mode”.
Challengers to the Labor leadership can launch an election with the support of 20 per cent of party MPs; This means 80 candidates are now required.
Worker organizations, including unions, will also be able to vote in the ballot box alongside individual members.
