U.K. health secretary resigns in scathing letter, setting up leadership fight

World U.K. health secretary resigns in scathing letter, setting up challenge to Starmer's leadership May 14, 2026 / 10:14 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Efforts to unseat British Prime Minister Keir Starmer broke out into open rebellion Thursday, with one potential rival resigning from the Cabinet and another clearing the way for her to enter any future leadership contest.Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the first senior minister to quit Starmer's Cabinet in what is expected to be a precursor to challenging his leadership. "You have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage — not least in keeping Britain out of the war in Iran," Streeting wrote in a letter. "But where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift.""It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election," he added.His announcement followed the resignations of four other members of Starmer's government on Tuesday.Starmer is facing growing pressure to step down after his Labour Party's disastrous results last week in local and regional elections.Streeting, whose political ambitions have long been known, is considered one of a handful of people who could try to unseat Starmer.  In his letter, he called attention to progress in improving health services under his leadership, noting that waiting times for National Health Service appointments — one of his signature priorities — had fallen for the fifth straight month.  U.K. Health Secretary Wes Streeting leaves 10 Downing Street following a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on May 13, 2026, the day before announcing his resignation from Starmer's Cabinet. Leon Neal / Getty Images Streeting also argued that supporters "want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism. It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates."Other potential challengersAnother li...