Starmer's government is falling apart

Starmer's government is falling apart. Health Secretary Streeting resigns and prepares to challenge the prime minister

14.05.2026 16:00 HotInfo

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing the historically biggest crisis of his government. Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned on Thursday, May 14, and openly questioned Starmer's ability to lead the Labour Party into the next election. In his letter to the prime minister, Streeting wrote that he had "lost confidence in his leadership" and criticized him, saying that "where we needed vision, there is a vacuum." Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership contest against Starmer and to run for the position of party leader. hnonline.sk ↗

The health secretary's resignation represents the peak of an internal party revolt within the Labour Party, which suffered a crushing defeat in local elections just last week. Streeting clearly declared that Starmer will no longer lead Labour in the upcoming election. This move, made during the state opening of parliament, where King Charles III presented the government's program, significantly weakened the prime minister. Even before this, around 80 Labour MPs had called on Starmer to resign immediately or to draw up a plan for his departure. teraz.sk ↗

On Wednesday, Starmer tried to assure his ministers and MPs that he was continuing to implement a "radical" reform plan. He warned them that a leadership contest would "plunge the country into chaos" and destabilize it. However, the prime minister's appeals did not stop the revolt within the party. Political commentators point to parallels with the downfall of British prime ministers in recent years — from Boris Johnson through Liz Truss to Rishi Sunak. A key part of the British financial community is concerned about a scenario in which a Labour leadership contest would ignore public finances and market realities, which could lead to a scenario similar to that under Truss, when UK bond yields rose dramatically. info.cz ↗

Starmer continues to manage political crises alongside security challenges related to antisemitism in London and diplomatic disputes, including the controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador, who however did not pass a security vetting check. HVG ↗