Wes Streeting has resigned. What happens next?
Ella Rose, Associate Director14/05/2026
The speculation of the last week has been broadly misdirected – the Labour Party rulebook clearly says that the Parliamentary Labour Party must back a candidate rather than concept of a contest. One assumes that by resigning, Streeting has the 81 names needed to submit to the Labour NEC to kickstart a contest, although that might not be quite yet. He had to resign now – the longer the speculation dragged on, the more damage done to the Labour Party and the more his personal stock diminished. The last paragraph of his letter is interesting – it suggests that Streeting is open to a longer timetable, and wants the Prime Minister to resign, rather than challenge him directly.
Starmer won’t get credit here for changing the Labour Party rulebook, but he should. Under the Corbyn administration, it only required 5% of the PLP to make a leadership contest. That’s now 20%, a rule change done swiftly after Starmer took power of the Labour Party. The hangover of the Corbyn years that works for the Prime Minister is that Starmer will automatically be on the ballot. He had been clear privately that he will be on the ballot paper when it goes to Labour members. If this is the case, and a challenge happens rather than a resignation timetable, this could work in Streeting’s favour if another soft-left candidate is also on the ballot, it would split the votes more unpredictably.
This will be the biggest test of the Labour membership since the exodus of the Corbynites (both chosen and forced). Labour’s Deputy Leadership election, whilst with a low turnout was much closer than many expected it to be, and some believe that, if Phillipson had taken help offered by unions, she could have one. 10,000 votes are but a blip in such a large political party. The membership of the Labour Party could well be more to the centre and right of the Labour traditions than expected.
That being said, most will expect the soft-left candidate to be the bookies favourite. With Burnham still in post as Mayor of Greater Manchester, the names touted are Ed Miliband (again), or Angela Rayner. Rayner, recently cleared of wrongdoing by HMRC, is said to prefer a position as kingmaker rather than candidate, but apparently is in a position to launch. The hard-left will struggle to make the threshold for the ballot. Unlike the Conservatives, there is no voting until the final two. Whilst the final rules will need to be confirmed by the NEC, if you can get 81 MPs, a small threshold of Constituency Labour Parties and five Unions or affiliates, you’re on the ballot of membership.
Peter Kyle is an important one to watch. He’s not just a political ally of Streeting – the two are genuine close friends having shared an office in Parliament for many years. So far, he’s backed the Prime Minister.
The other outsider is Al Carns, former Army Officer. He is thought to know he has a role as a stalking horse, potentially on the right of the Party. Streeting would likely want someone to the right of him, and that would serve him well with this electorate.
One thing is certain – political civil war in the governing party never goes well. Watch this space.
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