A former Labour Cabinet Minister has admitted he would be “grateful” to Health Secretary Wes Streeting if he were to resign.
Speaking to GB News, Shaun Woodward told host Martin Daubney the leader of the Labour Government “needs to change”.
Reacting to the looming challenge to Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, Mr Woodward declared the Labour Party is “in a mess”.
He said: “After less than two years we are in this mess, and I think the country must be looking at the Labour Party, and us as a Government, and being in despair.
“I don’t think they think they are watching a great show, and I think what they are probably feeling right now is you’ve got to sort yourselves out.”
Delivering his verdict on Wes Streeting potentially resigning and challenging Sir Keir, Mr Woodward praised the Health Secretary for “being honest” about the situation facing the Government.
He told GB News: “It brings me very neatly to say that I think it’s not about Wes Streeting plotting.
“I think if the story is right and tomorrow he will resign, actually I think what he’s doing is being very honest about this.”
Former Labour Cabinet Minister Shaun Woodward has said
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GB NEWS / PA
He stated: “Which is he’s actually putting himself out there and saying, enough is enough, we need to sort this out. And I think, in truth, we will be grateful to Wes Streeting for doing it.”
Reflecting on last week’s local election results, Mr Woodward argued Labour would be “deluding themselves” if they believed the results were not a “statement” from the British voters.
He said: “We saw last week the results, the psychodrama here would be deluding ourselves into thinking we didn’t get a very clear statement from the country.
“They don’t think that this Government is achieving things, and for me that’s heartbreaking. We shouldn’t be in this place.”
Wes Streeting is preparing to resign and trigger a leadership contest tomorrow, allies of the Health Secretary have claimed | GETTY
The ex-Labour Cabinet Minister made clear that the leader of the Government “needs to change”.
He told GB News: “We’ve got really good people in Parliament and we are not doing what they came into Government and politics to do.
“It’s just difficult in politics. I’ve seen it before, I’ve seen it over 30 years.
“There’s a moment when the country says we don’t think this person is the right person to be leading the country, and I’m afraid I think that’s the verdict that we saw last week, and the leader does need to change.”
Shaun Woodward told GB News the leader of the Labour Government ‘needs to change’
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GB NEWS
Mr Streeting is due to mount his leadership bid on Thursday after holding a crunch meeting with Sir Keir in No10 this morning.
The Health Secretary confronted the Prime Minister about his future at Downing Street today, with Mr Streeting leaving just 15 minutes later.
An ally of the Health Secretary told The Times: “He is going for it, he’s going tomorrow.”
Another source said: “If they (Starmer’s supporters) think this is over, they’re going to be disappointed. I’m expecting a move before the end of the week.”