Streeting’s historic comparison leads to speculation over Starmer’s future as PM
Wes Streeting appeared to put further pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership following Labour’s defeat in the Caerphilly by-election last Thursday.
The Minister of Health told Sunday Times The defeat in the Senedd elections in Wales was followed by the Prime Minister’s “Hartlepool [by-election] It’s an important parallel to a defeat that nearly led to Sir Keir leaving the Labor leadership.
Mr Streeting’s comparison could be seen as fueling speculation about his leadership, although he insists, as he has done before, that the prime minister can bounce back.
With Labor’s vote share below 20 per cent in a number of different polls, discussions are heating up among MPs and ministers to sack him.
It came as Labor members chose Lucy Powell, whom Sir Keir sacked as a minister just weeks ago, as deputy leader after she rejected his preferred choice, education minister Bridget Phillipson.
Meanwhile, a survey conducted on Techne UK Independent revealed that voters had left Labor in favor of the Greens; Under Zack Polanski, these votes increased by three points to 12 percent, while Labor’s vote fell to 19 percent.
Mr Streeting said Sunday Times: “When we were in opposition, we were shocked that Hartlepool, a town that had always been loyal to Labour, rejected us at the ballot box. Keir Starmer not only took this result on the chin, he took it to heart. And he used Hartlepool, and Hartlepool’s experience, to bring about the change needed to make Labor electable and capable of winning a general election that no one thought we would win.”
“I have no doubt that Keir, who has done it before, can do it again. We must not just take the message from Caerphilly on the chin, we must take it seriously – and change the way our Labor government drives and delivers change, as we did in opposition after Hartlepool.”
The Hartlepool by-election on 6 May 2021 took place at a time when Labor was at a low ebb and seemingly unable to overcome Boris Johnson’s popularity before Partygate derailed the Conservative Party.
It was the first time Labor had lost its seat and they face another key by-election in Batley and Spen a few weeks later on 1 July 2021.
Sources have confirmed that if Batley and Spen are defeated by the Conservative Party, Sir Keir will leave Mr Streeting while he is understood to be preparing a leadership bid in such an event.
But Labour’s Kim Leadbeater, sister of former MP Jo Cox who was murdered in 2016, saved Sir Keir’s leadership with 323 votes. Labor eventually completed its comeback by winning the general election in 2024.
But Mr Streeting’s comments Sunday Times The aftermath of the Caerphilly defeat was seen by colleagues as an indication that Sir Keir’s time may be running out.
The health minister is one of five potential candidates to take over from parliament, with Manchester mayor Andy Burnham another possibility if he plans to make a comeback as an MP.
A member of parliament sent a message Independent: “Wes knows it’s over.”
Caerphilly was a seat that Labor had held uninterruptedly in Westminster and the Senedd for 107 years.
But it finished a weak third with just 11 per cent of the vote, behind winners Plaid Cymru and Reform.
