Who could become UK's next PM and what he thinks about Ukraine and the war

At the end of last week, Wes Streeting stepped down as the UK’s health secretary, saying he had lost confidence in Prime Minister and fellow Labour Party member Keir Starmer.

Polling shows a rapid decline in Starmer’s popularity among voters, although the prime minister himself is acting as though nothing unusual is happening.

Among leading Labour figures, there is no clear consensus on whether now is the right time to replace the party leader and, consequently, the prime minister. It still appears that preparations for an internal leadership contest are already underway, and Wes Streeting may be the one to lead that process.

Read more about the leading contender for the post of British prime minister in the article by European Pravda journalist Uliana Krychkovska: Is UK returning to EU? What could change after Starmer and what Ukraine should expect.

Wes Streeting began his political career in local government in the London borough of Redbridge. In 2015, he was elected to the House of Commons representing the Ilford North constituency in Greater London.

The former health secretary is openly gay and first spoke publicly about his sexuality while still in college.

Another notable chapter in his life is his battle with cancer, which ultimately led to the removal of one of his kidneys.

Streeting is also known for his direct communication style and frequently stresses the importance of honesty in politics.

"I say what I think. You will not always agree with me, but you will always know where I stand," he once said.

British media have often described him as one of the Labour Party’s most effective communicators, noting that the prime minister occasionally relied on him to publicly defend government positions and explain political decisions.

In the autumn of 2025, reports emerged of serious tensions within the Labour Party leadership.

At the time, allies of the prime minister privately accused Streeting of preparing a plot to remove Starmer and replace him as party leader. Streeting firmly rejected those claims, calling them "completely absurd reports" and insisting that he supported the current prime minister.

However, following the 2026 local elections, Streeting openly moved into opposition to the government leader.

Starmer and Streeting differ politically on several key issues.

Wes Streeting supports the European Union membership of the United Kingdom.

That does not mean, however, that he would immediately push for Britain to rejoin the EU if he won the leadership race.

Streeting has made it clear that such a step would only happen with a new public mandate, meaning after a new general election, which he now appears to be preparing his party to fight.

On Ukraine and Russia, Streeting’s position is firm.

Like most politicians from Britain’s traditional mainstream parties, he does not question the need to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

During discussions about sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, he also voiced support for the idea.

"We need to understand that the war in Ukraine isn't just the frontline for the Ukrainians, it's the front line for all of us on our continent and across our continent," the politician said in an interview with Sky News.

Potential rivals to Streeting include Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.

According to April polling by YouGov, Burnham was the most popular among the three potential candidates. However, that was before the May elections and Streeting’s resignation as health secretary.

At the same time, current Labour leader and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that he intends to fight to remain in office.

He also continues to enjoy significant support.