Wes Streeting has insisted he does not want Sir Keir Starmer to be ousted because it would undermine Labour’s election promise to voters to avoid the chaos of previous governments.
The health secretary, who has long been seen as a potential challenger to the prime minister, urged the public to “give the guy a chance”, insisting that his job in the cabinet is “the only job I want to do”.
However, he did not rule out running to be Labour leader should the opportunity arise.
Mr Streeting has repeatedly attempted to shut down speculation over his own leadership ambitions amid mounting concern over the direction of Sir Keir’s government and devastating approval ratings.
His latest intervention comes amid growing calls for the prime minister to sack him in a cabinet reshuffle following accusations of disloyalty.
There is an expectation that Sir Keir could be ousted following the May local elections, which are expected to deliver a particularly brutal set of results for Labour.
Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Streeting claimed: “I don’t want to see Keir challenged in May. I don’t think that will happen.”
Pressed on whether he would run if somebody else triggered a leadership contest, the health secretary said: “I don’t even think that’s going to be a scenario. And honestly, I’d had the other month just about my fill of tedious, who’s up, who’s down, that kind of ‘politics is a parlour game’ crap.
“I’ve got a job to do. I’ve got a big job to do. This is the only job I want to do.”
He continued: “I think there is a risk for the Labour Party if people look at us and think, hang on a minute, we voted for change. We thought you were going to draw a line under chaos, and now it looks like you’re going to chop and change”.
Mr Streeting also suggested that Sir Keir’s handling of the Middle East conflict has improved his perception in the public.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that people have seen in Keir’s leadership through the Iran crisis his finest qualities,” he said.
“Judgement, level-headedness, and an ability to see the bigger picture and make big calls, and the calls in our national interest as well as the interests of our allies and our collective security and world stability.
“And I think that has set him apart from many other prime ministers we’ve seen over the years.”
But he admitted that “there are lots of people in this country who voted for change, who are still demanding change and are finding us wanting because of some of the mistakes we’ve made and because they’re not yet feeling change in their own lives”.
He added: “We all know this. Keir knows this. But look at the scale of the challenges we inherited when we came in.
“There was never going to be an overnight transformation. We are beginning to see this country moving in the right direction.
“He’s only been prime minister for 20 months. Give the guy and the government a chance.”
