Starmer set to face challenge to leadership

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to shift the focus away from personalities and onto policy on Wednesday, as the King's Speech to Parliament set out his government's legislative agenda for the coming year, suffered a major blow as Health Secretary Wes Streeting was reported to be on the verge of resigning and launching a bid to replace him in Downing Street.

The speech, written by the government but delivered by King Charles III, set out new initiatives on topics including energy security, defense, immigration, and education reform.

But shortly before it was delivered, reports emerged about Streeting's plan to challenge Starmer, who has been prime minister for less than two years and who has seen his tenure come under huge pressure recently following last week's dismal performance by the Labour Party in local elections across the United Kingdom, with his leadership being picked out as one of the main causes of voter rejection.

On Tuesday, several government ministers resigned in protest at Starmer's leadership, and on Wednesday morning Streeting was called to Downing Street for a brief face-to-face meeting with Starmer.

Around lunchtime, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Streeting was set to quit his post, with an ally saying he was "going to go for it" after meeting Starmer, and that a leadership contest could be triggered as soon as Thursday.

Although Sky News reported that more than 100 Labour MPs have put their names to a letter saying the party needs to focus on "working together to deliver the change the country needs … this is no time for a leadership contest", around 100 others are believed to want Starmer to go.

Streeting would need the support of 81 MPs to make a formal bid for the leadership, and one of his confidantes told the Guardian newspaper: "No one has the numbers till the bell is struck, even canvassing isn't real, people need certainty before they write their name down. But he thinks he's got the numbers."

In another blow to Starmer's authority, 11 major trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party have issued a joint statement calling the local election results "devastating", and saying they have no confidence in Starmer's continued leadership.

"Labour is not doing enough to deliver the change that working people voted for at the general election," the statement said. "It's clear the prime minister will not lead Labour into the next election, and at some stage a plan will have to be put in place for the election of a new leader."

julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com