British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was struggling to hold on to power after his main rival in the government resigned yesterday, accusing him of political drift, and others positioned themselves for potential challenges to his leadership.
However, Starmer appointed James Murray as health minister.
Separately, Starmer’s office said in a statement that Lucy Rigby was named chief secretary to the Treasury, the second-most senior position in Britain’s finance ministry, taking over Murray’s role.
Disastrous results for the governing Labour Party in local elections last week have plunged Britain into a new crisis, just under two years after Starmer won a large majority on a vow to bring stability and end a decade of political chaos.
After days of calls by Labour legislators for Starmer to quit or set out a timetable for his departure, Wes Streeting resigned as health minister, the first senior minister to break cover.
He said he was standing down because “it is now clear you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election”.
But Streeting did not trigger a formal contest, and other senior cabinet ministers expressed their support for Starmer.
Labour members of parliament and trade unions said they wanted the debate about what comes next to focus on ideas rather than personalities or factions, his resignation letter said.
“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates,” Streeting wrote.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, like Streeting a Labour Party politician, said separately he would seek a seat in parliament – a move that could pave the way for him to challenge Starmer.
“Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift,” Streeting said.
“Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords.”
Starmer responded with a letter expressing regret Streeting had stepped down, saying “it is incumbent on all of us to rise to what I see as a battle for the soul of our nation” and “turn the page on the chaos”.
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