Wes Streeting on why Keir Starmer cannot save himself or his country

Wes Streeting on why Keir Starmer cannot save himself or his country

Author: Global June 5, 2026 Duration: 1:24:18

It is now hard to imagine that just three weeks ago, Wes Streeting was still serving in Keir Starmer's cabinet. As Health Secretary, Streeting gave the PM one of his biggest success stories from Labour's so far deeply troubled time in government - getting waiting lists down, and dragging the NHS into the 21st century.

In the short time since he left role, he has become one of Starmer's biggest problems. His criticism of the PM is blistering, his analysis of where Labour has gone wrong is compelling, and his finger is twitching over the leadership contest trigger, waiting - so he says - for Andy Burnham to get into the arena.

Streeting has long been talked up as a future Labour Prime Minister, but bruising recent membership polling shows the Labour party faithful are still far from convinced by his pitch. So why is he so convinced that this is a fight worth having?

In this extended interview with Lewis, he explains why he fears that Keir Starmer, a man he respects, will become the "midwife" for a dangerous new kind of politics if he doesn't step aside - regardless of who replaces him.

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/


Every weekday afternoon, Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall gather to make sense of the noise. Their The News Agents isn't a simple bulletin; it's a conversation between three of the UK's most experienced journalists who have seen the machinery of government and media from the inside. This daily podcast from Global focuses on the forces shaping our world, dissecting the headlines from Westminster and beyond with a sharp eye for what really matters. You'll hear them pull apart political strategies, question the official narrative, and trace the connections between today's breaking story and its deeper roots. What sets this show apart is their collective tone-a blend of genuine expertise, natural scepticism, and the occasional necessary laugh at the absurdities of the news cycle. They provide context where others just provide clips, aiming to answer the persistent "why" behind the "what." Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a direct, unfiltered briefing from colleagues who know the landscape intimately, making the complex flow of daily events not just comprehensible but genuinely engaging. It’s analysis designed for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The News Agents
Podcast Episodes
Has antisemitism become a national emergency? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:28
Two men stabbed in broad daylight in Golders Green this morning became the latest victims of what Kemi Badenoch has called a national emergency of antisemitism. The last month has seen multiple attacks on the Jewish comm…
Will Starmer's body count prove fatal for his premiership? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
Morgan McSweeney was called before MPs to explain HIS version of how Mandelson was hired: was he just finding a great job for a mate? Why hadn’t he responded to all the red flag warnings? Was due process really followed?…
What will the King's visit really achieve with Trump? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:04
Trump has praised King Charles for pressing on with his US state visit in the wake of Saturday night's shooting, calling him ‘brave’. The President’s comments have thrust the King back into the diplomatic spotlight.With…
How liberals lost the fight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:18
In a world of increasing extremes, Liberalism itself has come to be an insult. From 'metropolitan liberal elites' to 'bleeding heart liberals' the liberal establishment seems bewildered and fresh out of devoid of new ide…
Has the cabinet given up on Keir Starmer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:50
Is Keir Starmer a passenger and not a driver in his own government? At the end of a week of crisis management - with a sacked official spilling the beans on the grubby business of the Mandelson appointment - the charge a…
Has Starmer become the problem he promised to fix? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:18
Keir Starmer came to power promising to clean up politics and end the games at the top of Westminster. Yet this week has brought another sacking, linked to the handling of Peter Mandelson’s appointment, alongside reports…
How does Keir Starmer recover from the Olly Robbins bombshell? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:53
Olly Robbins - the foreign office top civil servant fired by Keir Starmer on Thursday - gave his version of events today. He described an atmosphere of immense pressure over the Peter Mandelson appointment and suggested…
Starmer was told to vet Mandelson first. So why didn’t he? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:10
Keir Starmer is still pleading his case before MPs. Should he have been told about the failed Mandelson vetting by Olly Robbins? Should he have asked? Who’s fault was it really that he didn’t find out until last Tuesday.…