Starmer latest: PM on the brink as ministers demand he resign ahead of cabinet showdown

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Labour’s former shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused Wes Streeting of launching a coup against Sir Keir Starmer, while a growing number of the health secretary’s allies called for the Prime Minister to go.

Writing on social media, the left-wing MP said: “I called for time for serious discussions, no hasty coup and, in the event of a leadership election, a fully democratic process.

“Instead, Wes Streeting launched a coup out of fear of a democratic process and while candidates were blocked. Taking the leadership under Mandelson’s tutelage is a gift to Reformation.”

Reports suggest that a number of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet members, including home secretary Shabana Mahmood, have called for his resignation.

But some of his closest allies appear to be siding with the prime minister.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was seen leaving Downing Street last night. It is understood Sir Keir has not called for a timetable for his resignation.

Housing Minister Steve Reed and Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden also said they believed the prime minister should continue the fight.

Deputy prime minister David Lammy and parliamentary secretary to the treasury Jonathan Reynolds are also reportedly with Sir Keir.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy waves to reporters as he walks down Downing Street towards Number 10.

Reporters shouted questions, but he did not answer as he got out of the car and walked down the street.

Darren Jones insists the King’s speech will go ahead as planned tomorrow, despite growing chaos in government amid calls for Sir Keir Starmer to resign.

“As far as I know, the King’s Speech is due tomorrow. We are working hard to prepare a program of bills for the next session that will meet the challenges we face as a country, and it is important that we maintain this,” the Prime Minister’s principal secretary told Sky News.

Rachel Reeves arrives in Downing Street ahead of a crucial Cabinet showdown on Tuesday morning.

He did not answer journalists’ questions as he entered number 11.

Britain’s long-term borrowing costs have risen as Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership comes under increasing pressure.

The yield on 30-year U.K. government bonds, also known as Gilts, rose as much as 11 basis points to 5.785 percent in Tuesday morning trading, falling to a level near the 28-year high recorded last week.

The yield on 10-year bonds also rose above 5 percent again, rising 10 basis points to 5.101 percent, but remains below recent highs reported last month.

Gilt yields move inversely to the value of bonds, meaning their prices fall when yields rise.

Rising yields on these bonds mean it is more costly for governments to borrow from financial markets.

Shares on the London market fell sharply as sterling weakened further amid political instability in the UK.

Sterling fell 0.5 percent to US$1.35 and was down 0.2 percent to 1.15 euros.

The FTSE 100 Index fell more than 1 percent at the open and later fell 95.57 points to 10,173.86.

The Prime Minister is facing one of the toughest days of his career this morning, as a growing number of his own MPs are calling for his resignation.

We’ll be bringing you the latest in this blog, and you can watch our live coverage from Downing Street below:

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Darren Jones said “there’s a lot of fantasy politics going on” when asked about the possibility of Andy Burnham returning to the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister’s chief secretary was asked whether it would be accepted that the Cabinet could benefit from someone “with a lot of electoral support” such as the mayor of Greater Manchester.

In response, he told BBC Breakfast: “There’s a lot of fantasy politics going on at the moment, Keir Starmer got a historic majority at the ballot box, along with all of us in the Labor Party, less than two years ago.”

He told the program that he spoke to Sir Keir on Monday night, adding that being prime minister “is a grueling job” and “our job in Cabinet is to support the prime minister to deliver on his ambitions for the country, but also to enable him to do his job as well as possible”.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Darren Jones is normally Sir Keir Starmer’s main cheerleader. Whenever the Prime Minister gets into trouble, he sends his chief secretary to the House of Commons or to the publications to defend him. And typically, when a prime minister finds himself on the brink of resignation, the minister they raised their voices on the morning broadcast circuit throws the kitchen sink in their defense (and insists they’re not going anywhere).

But Darren Jones was silenced – perhaps for the first time in his broadcasting career. He admitted he was “sad” more than five times in thirty seconds, refused to say whether he thought the Prime Minister would lead Labor at the next election and refused to answer when asked whether he thought Sir Keir should resign.

If this is the best the government has to offer when it comes to morale-boosting cheerleaders this morning, it doesn’t look good for Starmer.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Darren Jones has claimed he is preparing to draw up a timetable for Sir Keir Starmer’s departure and insisted he is “talking and listening” to colleagues who have called for him to leave.

The Prime Minister’s general secretary told Times Radio: “The Prime Minister is talking to his colleagues; obviously some of them said yesterday that they wanted him to make a specific course of action. As any leader would, he is talking to his colleagues and listening to them. I cannot decide what the Prime Minister may or may not decide.”

Asked directly whether he was considering setting a timetable for resigning before the next election, Mr Jones said: “He’s listening to his colleagues and he’s talking to his colleagues. As I said, I can’t get in the way of any decision he may or may not make… It’s for the prime minister to decide what he may or may not want to do in the future.”

He added: “It’s right for any leader who wants to express his views on these issues to listen to members of his team. It’s right for him to listen to them. I think it would be worse if he didn’t.”