Allies of Keir Starmer warned Labour plotters last night they could trigger a general election if they oust him.
As rumours of a leadership challenge swirled at Westminster, friends of the beleaguered Prime Minister claimed any new leader would ‘need their own mandate’ from the voters.
The warning followed a chaotic day in which a Downing Street bid to ‘kneecap’ potential rival Wes Streeting backfired disastrously.
With Labour currently averaging less than 20 per cent in the polls, an election now could see hundreds of MPs lose their seats.
Although there is no legal requirement for a new PM to hold a new ballot, one source said: ‘In the modern age, you need your own mandate. We saw under the Tories – and even with Gordon [Brown] – that the public hate the idea that political parties can stitch up the choice of a new PM without them.
‘Anyone thinking of moving against Keir should consider that very carefully.’
Kemi Badenoch said the Government had ‘descended into civil war’ while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage last night told the Daily Mail: ‘This is a government that is all at sea, without a rudder.
‘The sooner we have an election, the better it will be for the country. Not that I’m holding my breath.’
Allies of Keir Starmer warned Labour plotters could trigger a general election if they oust him
Backfired: A series of toxic overnight briefings accused Mr Streeting of plotting a coup
Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch said the Government had ‘descended into civil war’
Sir Keir was urged to sack his controversial chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who was blamed by many for a series of toxic overnight briefings which accused Mr Streeting of plotting a coup and branded Labour MPs ‘feral’.
One friend of Mr McSweeney acknowledged he was ‘100 per cent behind’ the briefing, adding: ‘He’s toast’.
Mr Streeting called for those responsible for briefing against him to be removed – and urged the Sir Keir to tackle the ‘toxic culture’ in Downing Street.
Labour Party chairman Anna Turley last night said the PM had ordered an investigation into the briefing against Mr Streeting and would ‘take action’.
In the Commons, the PM said the ‘unauthorised’ briefing against Mr Streeting was ‘completely unacceptable’.
He said he had ‘never authorised attacks on Cabinet members’. Sir Keir also backed Mr Streeting, saying he was ‘doing a great job’.
Last night the two men spoke on the phone and the PM is believed to have apologised over the briefing.
Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch rounded on Sir Keir, saying: ‘He says that these attacks are not authorised. The truth is that means he has lost control of No 10, because that is where they are coming from.
‘But the real scandal is that, two weeks from a Budget, the Government have descended into civil war.’
Yesterday’s briefing war appears to have been a pre-emptive strike by allies of Sir Keir who fear rebel MPs could move against him after the November 26 Budget when Rachel Reeves is expected to break Labour’s manifesto pledge by raising income tax.
No 10 sources said Sir Keir would fight any attempt to remove him. One said: ‘Keir knows he is already fighting a leadership contest. When it comes, he won’t resign. He will fight it. He thinks it’s fantasy politics.’
But the briefing tipped over into abusing Labour MPs and publicly accusing Mr Streeting of plotting.
One source told the Guardian that the ambitious Health Secretary had ’50 frontbenchers willing to stand down if the Budget landed badly and the prime minister did not go’.
In a series of interviews yesterday, Mr Streeting angrily denied the claim – and called for those responsible for the briefing against him to be sacked.
He said it was ‘bizarre’ that ‘people in No 10 have said the PM is fighting for his job’.
Asked whether he was planning a leadership challenge, the Health Secretary told Sky News: ‘No, and I think whoever’s been briefing this has been watching too much Celebrity Traitors, and this is just about the worst attack on a Faithful I’ve seen since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final.
In a series of interviews yesterday, Mr Streeting angrily denied the claim he would make a bid to oust Starmer – and called for those responsible for the briefing against him to be sacked
‘It’s totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true and I don’t understand how anyone thinks it’s helpful to the Prime Minister either.’
Asked if he would rule out demanding Sir Keir’s resignation after the Budget, he mockingly added: ‘Yes, and nor did I shoot JFK. I don’t know where Lord Lucan is, had nothing to do with Shergar, and I do think that the US did manage to do the moon landings. I don’t think they were fake.’
Mr Streeting pointedly referenced Lucy Powell, the ‘anti-Keir’ candidate who recently won the deputy leadership contest, saying she had been ‘vindicated’ in her call for a ‘culture change’ in No 10.
He added: ‘I do think that going out and calling your MPs feral is not very helpful.
‘Trying to kneecap one of your own team when they are out, not just making the case for the Government, but actually delivering the change that we promised, I think that is also self-defeating.’
One ally of Sir Keir yesterday acknowledged the briefing against the plotters had been ‘clumsy’ but insisted it was right to ‘put down a marker that the PM won’t just roll over if they try it on’.
Labour MPs believe a number of senior figures are positioning themselves for a future leadership challenge, including Mr Streeting, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, former deputy PM Angela Rayner and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
However, few believe that any of them have advanced plans to remove Sir Keir in the coming weeks.
Mr Farage last night predicted Sir Keir ‘won’t make it past July’ after elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils in which Reform are expected to give both Labour and the Tories a bloody nose
Speculation about his leadership has mounted because of Labour’s dire standing in the polls. Less than 18 months after winning a landslide election victory, Sir Keir is now the most unpopular prime minister in history.
Mr Farage last night predicted Sir Keir ‘won’t make it past July’ after elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils in which Reform are expected to give both Labour and the Tories a bloody nose.
Furious Labour MPs warned that No 10 had ‘lost the plot’ by manufacturing a leadership crisis.
They pointed the finger at Mr McSweeney who is already under pressure over the polls and the Government’s struggle to deliver on its promise of change.
Sir Keir gave only lukewarm backing to his chief of staff in the Commons, saying Mr McSweeney was ‘focused’ on delivering the Government’s priorities. No 10 later insisted the PM does still have confidence in his right-hand man.
Mr Streeting credited Mr McSweeney with putting Labour in power and declined to criticise him publicly.
How No 10’s bid to block a Streeting challenge left him quipping: I’m a Faithful not a Traitor!
Harriet Line, Deputy Political Editor
Fears of an imminent coup were ignited by the man who is alleged to be at the centre of it.
Last Wednesday, Wes Streeting took to social media to praise the newly elected socialist mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, heralding a victory that held ‘lessons for progressives the world over’.
The Health Secretary’s comments raised eyebrows in Westminster: was his ankle-flashing to the Left of the Labour Party a sure sign he was on manoeuvres?
It was certainly not the first time suspicions had been raised. For a long time, Mr Streeting has been regarded as a potential successor to Sir Keir Starmer.
His working-class credentials, strong communication skills and political nous have sealed him as a contender.
But in recent weeks, speculation has been growing that he might fancy a tilt for the top sooner than anticipated.
Earlier this month The Mail on Sunday reported that MPs were assessing support for Mr Streeting (pictured) as well as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.
It said some hoped a ‘coronation’ could be arranged for Mr Streeting, with Ms Rayner as his Left-wing deputy to counter fears that he is too ‘Blairite’.
Insiders pointed the finger at Sir Keir’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney for the briefings
Speculation of a joint ticket was sparked at Labour’s annual conference, when the Health Secretary called for Ms Rayner to make a comeback just weeks after she was forced out over an underpaid stamp duty bill.
But in recent days the warnings about manoeuvres have intensified. On Friday, the i newspaper reported that MPs were openly plotting against Sir Keir.
Gathering in the Smoking Room, a private parliamentary bar used by MPs, they discussed ‘the who and the how and the when to replace him’, one minister told the paper.
While the i predicted that a challenge to the PM was not imminent, it said conversations about his future had ‘stepped up a gear’ in the past few weeks.
Coupled with the backdrop of bleak polling and anxiety over the forthcoming Budget, it added to growing concern in No 10 that a coup may be afoot.
Then, on Tuesday night, a slew of reports suddenly dropped – all featuring allies of the PM making clear that he would fight a leadership challenge, in what had all the hallmarks of a co-ordinated briefing to some sympathetic ears.
The BBC reported that ‘friends’ of Sir Keir were ‘deeply worried about what they see as plotting going on to try to replace him and are seeking to make clear what they see as the grave risks of a leadership challenge’.
The broadcaster said MPs were discussing Mr Streeting and Ms Mahmood as potential candidates to displace the PM. The Times reported that Sir Keir would not resign ‘in the event of any attempt to remove him’.
It also said that ‘Downing Street figures’ suspected Mr Streeting ‘could demand the Prime Minister’s resignation in the days after the Budget’.
Meanwhile, the Guardian featured warnings from the PM’s ‘most senior political aides’ that any attempt to oust Sir Keir over tanking poll ratings would be ‘reckless’ and could destabilise the markets.
The paper also cited senior figures who said they had been told that Mr Streeting had ’50 frontbenchers willing to stand down if the Budget landed badly and the Prime Minister did not go’.
A spokesman for the Health Secretary was quick to say it was ‘categorically untrue’ that he intended to challenge Sir Keir.
But the briefings coincided with a damning article in The New Statesman – so-called bible of the Left –which asked whether the PM realises ‘how much trouble he’s in’. It detailed the ‘mutinous talk’ in Labour ranks and noted how among MPs there is ‘widespread mockery, sarcasm, name-calling and the darkest of gallows humour’.
Insiders began pointing the finger at Sir Keir’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney for the briefings.
By daybreak, Mr Streeting had the task of touring the broadcast studios – a planned media round to explain the next phase of the abolition of NHS England. Instead, he had to express his loyalty to the PM to millions.
But if the briefer – who would have known in advance who was doing the morning round – had hoped to humiliate Mr Streeting, it backfired.
He deftly fended off the questions – even joking that it was ‘the worst attack on a Faithful since Joe Marler was banished in The Traitors final’.
Many would have noted how his sharp performance contrasted to Sir Keir’s media style.
Mr Streeting also said there was a ‘toxic culture’ in Downing Street and suggested the PM sack the aide responsible for the briefing.
But No 10 appeared reluctant to act. Sir Keir gave only a lukewarm backing to Mr McSweeney during Prime Minister’s Questions, yet Downing Street would not even promise a probe into who was behind the briefing.
Mr Streeting, speaking to health leaders in Manchester yesterday, declined to say whether he believed Mr McSweeney was responsible for the culture in No10 but added that, without him, ‘there wouldn’t be a Labour Government’.
