Dorothy

LONDON (AP) — Wes Streeting’s ambition to head the British government was one of the worst-kept secrets in U.K. politics.

But if anyone was unaware, it’s now official — the former health secretary announced on Saturday his intention to oust Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“The voters did more than send Labour a message last week,” Streeting said on Saturday. “They issued a warning: that unless we change course, we risk being the handmaidens of Nigel Farage and the breakup of the United Kingdom.”

From working-class roots to a prestigious university The boyish-looking Streeting, 43, is widely regarded as one of the party’s best communicators and has been an outspoken voice on issues that include the war in Gaza.

His rise in the ranks of the Labour Party from roots in London’s working-class East End, where he grew up in public housing, is charted in his memoir, “One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up: A Memoir of Growing Up and Getting On.”

Streeting got into politics at a young age, leading the Cambridge student union and becoming president of the National Union of Students. He later worked for Stonewall, an LGBTQ+ group, and has spoken of his struggle coming out as gay and reconciling his sexuality with his Anglican faith.

He served as a councilor in local government and later deputy leader of the council in the east London borough of Redbridge before being elected to Parliament in 2015.

A Cabinet minister with a personal mission to save public health care Streeting’s Cabinet position became a personal mission to fix an ailing National Health Service because of his own battle with kidney cancer.

Streeting quit the Cabinet the following day - becoming the first to do so - saying he had lost confidence in Starmer and sharply criticized him for lacking vision and direction. But he didn’t immediately announce an anticipated showdown with Starmer.

On Wednesday, as King Charles III was delivering the government’s blueprint for the next couple of years during the ceremonial opening of Parliament, talk of a coup dominated headlines.

“Streeting to ignite Labour day of anarchy,” the Daily Mail blared in all caps. “Finally, a move to bring down ‘Zombie’ Keir?” asked the Daily Express.

Streeting distances himself from a party figure with ties to Epstein Generally regarded as being in the moderate wing of the left-leaning party, Streeting was friendly with Peter Mandelson, the once-influential Labour figure now in disgrace over his friendship with Epstein. Starmer appointed - and later sacked - Mandelson as U.S. ambassador, a decision that continues to haunt him.

In one of the emails, he was critical of Starmer’s leadership, writing that “there isn’t a clear answer to the question: why Labour?”