Wes Streeting has denied rumours that he is plotting to oust Sir Keir Starmer, following a flurry of speculation that the Prime Minister’s job could be under threat due to unpopular tax rises expected in the Autumn Budget. Allies of Mr Starmer have insisted that forcing him out would be a “reckless” and “dangerous” move that could hurt the UK’s finances and damage international relations.
Mr Streeting has also dismissed the allegations as “categorically untrue”, but it hasn’t stopped some from cautiously suggesting that the Health Secretary would do a better job in Number 10. Recent reports suggest a growing number of MPs are unhappy with the Prime Minister’s performance, and YouGov put his net favourability rating at -51 last month in a damning indictment of public opinion.
Mr Streeting may have his flaws, including self-acknowledged “arrogance”, but he has previously said he could “die happy” if he nabbed the party’s top job and got into politics “to get things done”. The question is – do you think he could? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments section. Can’t see the poll below? Click here
The speculation of a behind-the-scenes Labour coup was fuelled by a briefing from Number 10 on Tuesday night in which allies of the Prime Minister warned that any attempt to oust him would be disastrous.
Mr Streeting was reportedly singled out as an example to discourage other possible contenders for a senior leadership challenge, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
The Health Secretary called for Mr Starmer to sack the people behind the “self-defeating” briefing during a media round on Wednesday morning, suggesting that those behind it had been “watching too much Celebrity Traitors”.
“It’s totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true and I don’t understand how anyone thinks it’s helpful to the Prime Minister either,” he told Sky News.
Other Number 10 insiders praised Mr Streeting as a brilliant cabinet minister and said the reports were all hypothetical speculation.