The former UK health minister is said to be running to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer Political Affairs

Pressure is mounting on the Starmer government, as Labor activists including the recently resigned Wes Streeting circle.

Wes Streeting, Britain’s former health secretary who resigned this week, says he will run to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer when the race begins.

Starmer’s government has been looming, with the UK leader facing calls to resign as his ruling Labor party faces a disastrous election.

Although Starmer has given up on the growing opposition, Labour’s competing to replace him it seems all but inevitable in London.

Although he has not announced that he will launch a leadership campaign, Streeting confirmed on Saturday that he will succeed Starmer and become the new Labor leader.

Whoever leads the ruling party, which has the majority in the UK parliament, will become Prime Minister.

“We want the right competition and those who will do well in the stadium, and I will be standing for it,” Streeting told the London conference on Saturday. The former health secretary urged Starmer to set a deadline for his departure.

In his speech to Labor supporters at the meeting of the Progress group, Streeting took a dig at the prime minister, saying that Labor “arrived in government poorly prepared in many areas and lacking vision and direction”, said the UK Guardian newspaper.

There is no ‘confidence’ in Starmer

On Thursday, Streeting resigned from the Labor government, saying he no longer had “confidence” in Starmer’s leadership. A day later, Streeting threw his weight behind Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is seen as a strong contender to replace Starmer as Labor leader for the country.

“We need our best players in the game. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them,” Streeting wrote on X. “Andy is the best chance to win, and that should go beyond team luck or individual motivation.”

Starmer’s time in office has been marred by controversy over the appointment of Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, as well as frustrations with the slow pace of change in domestic policy.

More than 80 MPs in the British Parliament have called for his resignation, while four junior ministers have resigned. Some Labor politicians appear to be rallying around Burnham.

On Thursday, Labor MP Josh Simons resigned from his seat in Makerfield to pave the way for Burnham to seek parliamentary elections, which are essential if he is to challenge Starmer for the party leadership. The job is done he agreed allowing Burnham to seek a return to parliament.

Makerfield’s by-election will be held early next month – a local contest that could determine who will lead the UK after Starmer.

If Burnham is elected to parliament, he would need to gather support from 81 Labor MPs, or 20 per cent of the party in parliament, to challenge Starmer.

Another potential challenger, Angela Rayner, said on Thursday that tax authorities cleared her of wrongdoing after a tax probe, seen as an obstacle to her bid for the presidency.