Another cabinet minister said the behaviour of Streeting<\/a>\u2019s allies was \u201cwild\u201d. \u201cEveryone knows he has MPs from the 2024 intake telling anyone who\u2019ll listen that it\u2019s time to get rid of Keir and make Wes PM instead,\u201d they said. \u201cIt\u2019s wild behaviour. If he doesn\u2019t bring it to a head, he\u2019ll have to be brought to heel.\u201d<\/p>\n Will Keir Starmer hold on to power in 2026<\/p>\n A third cabinet minister said: \u201cWes is exactly the same as he was when he was 18 \u2026 If he doesn\u2019t become Labour prime minister he will tell himself his entire life has been a failure. Everything he\u2019s doing now is in pursuit of that aim. Has he been pushing the boundary of what\u2019s acceptable? Yes.\u201d<\/p>\n A spokesman for Streeting said: \u201cIt\u2019s a real shame that Keir\u2019s so-called allies are briefing against Wes yet again, when they should be talking about the second biggest fall in waiting lists in 15 years<\/a>, and ambulances arriving 15 minutes faster with Labour. <\/p>\n \u201cGiven Reform and the Tories are at each other\u2019s throats right now this briefing is also incredibly stupid. Wes is delivering real change in the NHS, and is out there making the case for Keir and for Labour.\u201d <\/p>\n Streeting\u2019s spokesman said his critics should concentrate on improvements to the NHS<\/p>\n JORDAN PETTITT\/PA<\/p>\n A No 10 source said Streeting was doing a \u201cgreat job as health secretary\u201d and was a \u201ckey player in the team\u201d. <\/p>\n Streeting has become increasingly outspoken in voicing his concerns about the direction of the government. In November he accused Starmer of presiding over a \u201ctoxic culture\u201d in No 10 after allies of the prime minister briefed against him. Last month he said the government risked presenting itself as the \u201cmaintenance department for the country\u201d. <\/p>\n This week he made a series of interventions, arguing in one speech that the government needed to \u201cget it right first time\u201d after a succession of U-turns<\/a>, in comments that were interpreted as an attack on Starmer by colleagues.<\/p>\n \u2022 Who could replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader? His rivals rated<\/a><\/p>\n He subsequently called for a ban on social media for under-16s during the broadcast round, going significantly further than the government\u2019s official position. <\/p>\n During the cabinet meeting on Tuesday a succession of ministers rallied round Starmer. Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said that they needed to form a \u201cpraetorian guard\u201d around the prime minister and set aside \u201cpersonal ambition\u201d. Five other cabinet ministers also came to Starmer\u2019s defence. Streeting did not respond.<\/p>\n Streeting, Rachel Reeves and Starmer at an event in Stratford in July<\/p>\n TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JACK HILL<\/p>\n Starmer has warned that there will be \u201cutter chaos\u201d if MPs move against him and that it risks handing power to Nigel Farage. He is said to be concerned it would lead to turmoil in the markets and add to geopolitical instability.<\/p>\n The Times has been told that the cabinet is divided into three camps as Labour approaches the local elections in May<\/a>, which are expected to be disastrous for the party: the prime minister\u2019s loyalists; those who believe that only a change of leadership can save the government; and a minority keeping their cards close to their chest. One cabinet minister said after the meeting: \u201cThese people wouldn\u2019t have been out of place on the bridge of the Titanic.\u201d <\/p>\n![\"Health](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/4291a4e7-860a-422c-bcee-d32c83bcfc7c.jpg\")
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