UK premier faces resignation pressure as Streeting leadership challenge looms

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not directly address mounting calls for his resignation during Wednesday’s House of Commons debate on the King’s Speech, instead focusing on his government’s legislative agenda as internal Labour Party tensions intensified.

The political pressure comes amid reports that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge as soon as Thursday. Streeting met the prime minister in Downing Street earlier on Wednesday for less than 20 minutes, as speculation grew over a possible bid to replace him.

Public broadcaster BBC reported that Streeting’s allies said they expect him to trigger a leadership contest, which under Labour rules would require the support of 81 parliament members. Starmer would automatically be a candidate in any such contest.

A supporter of Streeting told the BBC that if the health secretary does not challenge Starmer, then “we’ll have knifed ourselves for nothing.”

However, a spokesperson for Streeting sought to downplay the speculation, telling The Times: “Wes is the health secretary, he is proud of his record of falling waiting lists and a recovering NHS.”

“He is not planning to say anything following his meeting with the prime minister that might distract from the King’s Speech.”

Downing Street said Starmer has “full confidence” in the health secretary.

“I am not going to get into the content of internal meetings, but the prime minister has full confidence in the health secretary,” Starmer’s official spokesperson said during a briefing for journalists following the King’s Speech.

The spokesperson declined to elaborate further, adding: “I would never get into any details of private meetings.”

The political backdrop is increasingly strained within Labour, with 88 lawmakers publicly calling for Starmer to resign, while more than 110 others have expressed support for him to remain in post.

Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Starmer’s authority has weakened, telling Parliament, "The Prime Minister is in office, but not in power.”

She added: “In the past 48 hours, nearly 100 Labour lawmakers have called for the prime minister to resign. Four ministers have quit. It is clear his authority has gone and that he will not be able to deliver what little there is in this King’s Speech.”

Badenoch also criticized the government’s performance, saying: “Winning is easy; governing is harder.”

The leadership speculation comes as Starmer faces broader criticism over policy decisions, including tax rises and welfare cuts, as well as scrutiny over senior appointments in government.

Party leadership has come under increasing scrutiny since Labour’s heavy losses in recent local elections, which intensified internal criticism and fueled renewed debate within the party over Starmer's political future.