David Vance SubstackRead More
Is Wes Streeting MP to be our next Prime Minister? In the immediate aftermath of the Burnham furore, he emerges as the most powerful potential challenger to Starmer. His allies claim that he has the backing of around 200 Labour MPs for a future leadership bid and with Burnham gone, it strikes me that he is now in prime position to launch the bid against Starmer when the time comes!
Streeting has long been open about his desire to lead Labour one day. He is heavily tipped to make the move once the party suffers the expected serious setback in May’s local elections. That will be the moment of real crisis for Starmer. Under Labour’s rules, any challenger needs support from at least one‑fifth of MPs. With 404 Labour MPs currently in the Commons, Streeting’s supporters claim he has 200 backers and so would easily clear that threshold.
Some close to Streeting believed that Burnham’s return to Westminster could actually have helped the Health Secretary. It would have opened up space for a broader push to replace Starmer. One ally suggested that if Burnham entered the Commons, “the question is how to replace Starmer, not whether to replace him,” arguing that Streeting would not be “going out alone.” Others, however, fear Burnham would front an “anti‑London” feeling that could undercut Streeting, whose Ilford North seat is in east London.
Streeting has publicly tried to remain aloof, condemning anonymous attacks on Burnham and calling for a change in Labour’s internal “culture.” Speaking to the Fabian Society (Who else?), he branded criticism of the mayor by unnamed sources “disgraceful,” insisting Burnham is “part of our team and part of our movement.”
For now, Starmer remains in post but loathed by many of his colleagues. If there is one thing I have learned during my dealings with politicians it’s that the one thing they care about more than anything else is..keeping their jobs!
Just wait until the scale of the job losses emerges on May 8th.
And there is one further twist. Whilst Burnham is banished back to Manchester, the by-election will stay go ahead. Should Reform or the Greens win it, that could also open up a from for Streeting to attack Starmer!
