LONDON — Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's cabinet on Thursday in London and called for a leadership contest with a broad field of candidates. No one has formally challenged the prime minister.

The resignation followed several days of turbulence within the governing Labour Party. Several junior frontbenchers resigned from government on Monday, and that evening several cabinet ministers asked the prime minister to consider setting a departure timetable. On Tuesday, junior ministers including Jess Phillips resigned from government.

Starmer met with Streeting for a brief meeting on Wednesday. That same evening, Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, spent six hours attempting to persuade MPs not to challenge the prime minister. Downing Street indicated that Streeting did not have the 81 nominations needed to trigger a leadership challenge.

Catherine West emailed Labour colleagues asking the prime minister to step down. She said she would seek the 81 nominations required to trigger a leadership contest if no cabinet member did. West told the BBC she might support Starmer if a leadership contest occurred.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed, a founding member of the Labour Together thinktank, rejected the prospect of a contest. "There is no contest," Reed said.

"'Moves' mean nothing. People need 81 nominations to stand against the prime minister," Reed said.

Downing Street also indicated the Labour Party's national executive committee would not block Andy Burnham from standing in the Makerfield byelection. Downing Street's statement on Burnham came on the same day as Streeting's resignation.