Allies of Wes Streeting have hit back against briefing against him after it was reported that Cabinet ministers are urging the prime minister to sack the health secretary for disloyalty amid deepening splits in his top team.
Senior figures in No 10 are said to be pushing for Mr Streeting’s removal, citing his “outspoken opinions” in public pronouncements.
This internal pressure is understood to stem from a briefing war originating in Downing Street, targeting the health secretary over his perceived ambitions to succeed Sir Keir as prime minister.
One minister told The Times the prime minister needs to learn from Kemi Badenoch who dramatically sacked her shadow justice secretary for disloyalty before he had the opportunity to undermine her and defect to Reform UK.
They told the newspaper Mr Streeting was “undermining all of us” in government, and suggested he was “repeatedly breaching collective responsibility”.
But a spokesperson for the health secretary described the timing of the latest briefing against him as “incredibly stupid,” noting its emergence while Reform UK and the Conservatives vie for dominance on the political right.
The spokesperson said: “It’s a real shame that Keir’s so-called allies are briefing against Wes yet again, when they should be talking about the second biggest fall in waiting lists in 15 years, and ambulances arriving 15 minutes faster with Labour.
“Given Reform and the Tories are at each other’s throats right now, this briefing is also incredibly stupid.
“Wes is delivering real change in the NHS, and is out there making the case for Keir and for Labour.”
Two other Cabinet ministers appeared convinced Mr Streeting was on manoeuvres to become prime minister, telling The Times: “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.”
But a No 10 source told The Times Mr Streeting was doing a “great job as health secretary” and was a “key player in the team”.
It comes amid growing concern over the direction of the Labour government, devastating approval ratings and a rapidly growing number of U-turns in policy.
Mr Streeting has previously voiced his concerns about the direction of the government, and hit out at a “toxic culture” in No 10 when briefing against him was made public in November.
He also appeared to voice concerns just this week, telling a conference on Tuesday ministers should make their New Year’s resolution to “get it right first time”, amid a series of U-turns by the government.
And last month, the prime minister was forced to pour cold water on suggestions that the UK should rejoin a customs union with the EU after Mr Streeting said the arrangement had “enormous economic benefits”.
The latest briefings against Mr Streeting are not the first time figures in Downing Street have accused the health secretary of plotting against the PM, with a row breaking out in November after unnamed aids warned of a supposed coup against Sir Keir.
At the time, Mr Streeting called on Sir Keir to sack those responsible for “self-defeating” rumours about a supposed Labour leadership challenge.
Delivering an incendiary public denunciation of Sir Keir’s Downing Street, Mr Streeting took aim at the “culture” in No 10 and categorically denied that he was plotting to oust the PM.
Downing Street has been contacted for comment.
