UK Health Minister resigns

UK Health Minister Wes Streeting resigned today.

He is the first minister to resign in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government, and before him, several secretaries of state from various ministries left their posts calling on Starmer to resign.

In his resignation letter, Streeting told the prime minister: "You have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage, not least by preventing Britain from going to war in Iran. But where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have detours."

He added that it is now "clear that Starmer will not lead Labour at the next election."

Streeting (43), whose political ambitions have long been known, is considered one of the few people who could try to oust Starmer (63) from the prime ministership.

Pressure for Starmer to resign has intensified since Labour suffered defeats in the latest local and regional elections, where they lost around 1.500 council seats in England, and also suffered defeats in Wales and Scotland.

Starmer said this week he would remain in office, warning MPs that any "leadership contest" would plunge the government into "chaos" at a time when it should be focusing on issues such as the cost of living crisis and the war in the Middle East.