Labour's new government has been plunged into fresh turmoil, with senior Cabinet ministers reportedly urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to sack Health Secretary Wes Streeting for disloyalty and undermining the authority of Number Ten.
Ministers Voice Fury Over 'Breaches of Collective Responsibility'
According to reports, frustration among Cabinet members has been mounting over Mr Streeting's outspoken public pronouncements. Ministers have privately accused him of prioritising his own leadership ambitions over the unity of the party and the government's agenda.
One cabinet minister told The Times that Sir Keir should learn from the example set by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who sacked Robert Jenrick from her shadow cabinet. They argued that Mr Streeting's actions were blatant, stating he was "repeatedly breaching collective responsibility, he is attacking No 10, he is undermining all of us." The source added that the Parliamentary Labour Party would support the Prime Minister if he took decisive action.
A second senior figure was scathing in their assessment, claiming: "Wes is exactly the same as he was when he was 18 … If he doesn't become Labour prime minister he will tell himself his entire life has been a failure. Everything he's doing now is in pursuit of that aim."
A Rocky Start and Veiled Swipes
The internal strife comes as Labour endures a difficult beginning to the new year, having already executed two major policy U-turns. Recent polls show the party falling behind both the Conservatives and Reform UK in popularity, adding to the sense of crisis in Westminster.
Amid calls for unity from Starmer's allies, deep divisions remain within the Cabinet. Some ministers continue to back the Prime Minister, while others reportedly believe a change at the top may be the only way to salvage the government's fortunes.
Wes Streeting, widely seen as a frontrunner to succeed Sir Keir, has made several thinly-veiled criticisms of the government's direction in recent months. This week, he appeared to take a dig at the Prime Minister's frequent policy reversals, referencing an NHS initiative called GIRFT—'Get It Right First Time'. He suggested this should be the government's "resolution for 2026".
In another departure from the agreed government line, Mr Streeting separately called for "action" to ban under-16s from using social media, citing concerns over young people's life chances.
Calls for Unity and a 'Praetorian Guard'
As anger among Labour MPs grew over the recent policy climbdowns, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander made an emotional plea during a political Cabinet meeting. She urged her colleagues to form a protective "praetorian guard" around the Prime Minister to present a united front.
Separately, Labour's Deputy Leader, Lucy Powell, warned it would be "madness" for the party to descend into internal "warfare" over the leadership. She stressed that the government had just won a substantial mandate and had a huge amount of work to do, drawing a parallel with the Conservatives' chaotic period of three prime ministers in three months.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves also moved to quash speculation about Sir Keir's future, telling ITV's Peston programme that there was "no credible alternative" to him as Prime Minister. Meanwhile, a source from Number Ten stated that Mr Streeting was doing a "great job" in his role as Health Secretary.
The details of the tense Cabinet discussions were leaked to the New Statesman magazine, often considered a Labour-leaning publication. One loyalist source described Sir Keir's closing remarks as "very emotional, and forthright," leaving attendees taken aback by his passion.
With the May local elections increasingly viewed as a critical test for Sir Keir's authority, the pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister to resolve the internal discord and reassert his control over a fractious Cabinet.
