Streeting says he is 'full of rebellious hope' as he delivers resignation speech

Wes Streeting, the former Health Secretary, addressed MPs in the House of Commons with a speech marked by what he described as “rebellious hope.” Having resigned from the cabinet the previous Thursday, Streeting cited a loss of confidence in the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer as his reason for stepping down. In his resignation letter to the prime minister, he pointed to Sir Keir’s leadership as a key factor behind Labour’s disappointing performance in recent elections, expressing the need for a clear vision where currently “we have a vacuum.”

During his Commons speech, the Ilford North MP highlighted the difficulties confronting young people in Britain today. Streeting stated, “the greatest tragedy of Britain today is that the next generation, for the first time in our modern history, face worse prospects than the last.” He praised their sacrifices during the Covid pandemic but criticised the government for failing to adequately support them afterward, saying they have been shortchanged in education, burdened by debt, and obstructed from accessing home ownership. He further argued this has led many young people to delay entering adulthood.

Streeting also drew attention to Labour’s battle against political rivals, specifically naming Reform UK and Nigel Farage’s campaign to dismantle the NHS. He condemned nationalist parties governing in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, framing Labour’s fight as “for the soul of the country.” Additionally, he called for “a new special relationship” with Europe, asserting, “It’s even more clear we would have been better off leading Europe than leaving the EU.” Concluding his speech, he reinforced optimism about Labour’s potential, stating, “The Labour Party was elected to deliver real change. We still can.”

In the wider political context, Sir Keir Starmer has faced multiple ministerial resignations following Labour’s electoral setbacks, including the MP Josh Simons stepping down to facilitate Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham’s parliamentary candidacy. Both Burnham and Streeting have indicated willingness to stand in any forthcoming Labour leadership contest. Despite pressure for Sir Keir to resign or announce a leadership timeline from nearly 90 MPs, over 150 colleagues have voiced their support for the current leader or argued against holding a contest at this time. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson responded to Streeting’s resignation speech by expressing confidence that Sir Keir should remain Labour leader and lamented that Streeting was no longer serving in the cabinet given his talents

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