Wes Streeting has revealed his ambition to one day become prime minister, saying he would “die happy” if he had the chance to serve as Labour leader.

In an interview with the Guardian, the shadow health secretary said he had “never been ashamed of aiming high and going as far as my talents will take me”.

He has previously dismissed speculation that he could harbour plans for a future leadership bid following Sir Keir Starmer’s time in the role.

If I can take the NHS from the worst crisis in its history and make it fit for the future, and that’s all I ever achieve in politics, I’ll retire feeling very proud of that

Having previously claimed he would be too old for the top job after a two-term Labour government under Sir Keir, Mr Streeting now believes it may not be too late, the Guardian reported.

He told the paper: “I think I have a lot to prove before then. If I can take the NHS from the worst crisis in its history and make it fit for the future, and that’s all I ever achieve in politics, I’ll retire feeling very proud of that.

“And if my place in the history books is akin to Nye Bevan’s, I’d be more than happy.

“And if I got a chance to be a Keir Starmer or Tony Blair or Gordon Brown or (Harold) Wilson or (Clement) Attlee, I would die happy.”