Streeting denies plotting against PM after leadership claims

Wes Streeting said suggestions from the prime minister’s allies that he was trying to challenge for the leadership were “self-defeating nonsense” and called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack anyone briefing the media.

On Tuesday evening, friends of Sir Keir Starmer said his job could be under immediate threat and that they were particularly suspicious of Streeting’s leadership ambitions.

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, the health minister said he “couldn’t see any circumstances under which I could do this to our Prime Minister”.

He added that the press briefings against him were “the worst attack on the loyalists since Joe Marler was exiled in The Traitors finale”.

“Someone is definitely watching too much Celebrity Traitors. They should go to Countryfile,” he said.

He added that the party’s new deputy leader, Lucy Powell, was “right about the culture in No 10”: “I would like to commend the brief on choosing at least one man in the cabinet rather than women.”

Asked whether he should remove those responsible, Streeting said: “Yes. But he needs to find them first and I don’t expect him to waste too much time on that.”

Other names being discussed as potential candidates in the leadership race include backers including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Energy Minister Ed Miliband and former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

“He will fight this,” one minister said, before referring to the crucial 2021 by-election in which Labor lost to the Conservatives, prompting Sir Keir to consider resigning as Labor leader.

“This is not a Hartlepool moment,” they added.

“He is one of only two survivors to win a general election for Labour. It would be madness to run against him 17 months later.”

To trigger a leadership race against the prime minister, 20 per cent of Labor MPs (currently 81) need to nominate a candidate.

Jo White MP, chair of the Red Wall Labor backbench group, told the Today program it was “neither the time nor the place” to brief him on the leadership battle.

“This is a group of people who think they are so much smarter than the rest of us, who spend their time selectively briefing journalists and making a fuss.

“I simply want to say: we don’t have it.

“I would like to say to Number 10 that they are shouting in the wrong way by briefing against Wes.”

Despite winning an overwhelming majority in the July 2024 general election, Sir Keir has had a difficult time in Downing Street and opinion polls show he is unpopular.

There are suggestions that the government could face a crisis point following devolved elections in Scotland and Wales and local elections in England next year.

A senior Labor MP told the BBC: “It’s all very well to say wait for the locals, but this is me sending my activist base into arms fire. I can’t lose all my councillors.”

Another Labor source said: “The list of reasons why people are moving after the Budget grows by the day.

“If Wes is brave and takes action he could be rewarded as prime minister by Christmas.”