Ministers urge PM to sack whoever was behind anonymous briefings

Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls from senior ministers to sack whoever was behind media briefings that the Prime Minister was facing a leadership problem.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have been named as potential rivals in anonymous briefings; Now they are both calling for whoever is behind them to be found and removed from office.

It comes as Sir Keir apologized to Streeting for the episode in which the Prime Minister was said to have been “hot”.

This has intensified pressure on the prime minister’s private secretary, Morgan McSweeney, who some, including senior figures in the government, hold ultimately responsible for the briefings and the overall culture at No 10.

An ally of the Prime Minister told the BBC: “Morgan is Keir’s stand-in. They’re coming to Morgan because they want to get Keir. This isn’t a parliamentary party war, it’s a Labor elite war.”

Both Streeting and Miliband stopped short of publicly criticizing McSweeney, and on Wednesday Streeting began praising his role in Labour’s general election victory.

Speaking to the BBC, Miliband said it had been a “bad few days”, adding: “We must learn from this episode and say this is not where we should be focusing.”

He said he was sure the Prime Minister would want to find out who the anonymous briefer was and “get rid of them if he can find out”.

“He hates things being leaked and being briefed against his cabinet colleagues.

“People listening to this show might think, ‘if he hates it, why can’t he stop it?’

“The truth is, sometimes things like this happen. There are sounds coming from outside and you never quite know where they’re coming from.”

Miliband’s name has been discussed by some Labor MPs as a possible rival to the prime minister.

Asked if he would consider returning as Labor leader, he said: “Yes.”

He added: “I had the best inoculation technique against wanting to be leader of the Labor Party, so I was leader of the Labor Party from 2010 to 2015.

“I have the T-shirt, that chapter is closed.”

Sir Keir apologized to Streeting in a brief phone call on Wednesday evening, but the health secretary’s supporters are said to be upset that briefings against him are continuing.

Those around the health minister argue that “this type of briefing culture has followed Keir Starmer from opposition into government”.

The number of advisers who were in opposition to Sir Keir and are now still working for him is dwindling.

McSweeney is one of them and the most senior. He was reached for comment and did not respond.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir had “lost control of his government… and lost the trust of the British people”.

He said McSweeney was responsible for the culture at No 10 and asked if the prime minister still had confidence in him.

Sir Keir responded: “Morgan McSweeney, my team and I are absolutely focused on delivering for the country.

“Let me be clear, I have never allowed attacks on cabinet members, I appointed them to their positions because they are the people who can do their jobs best.”

He added that “any attack on any member of my cabinet is completely unacceptable” and particularly praised Streeting for doing a “fantastic job”.

Speaking after PMQs, the prime minister’s press secretary told reporters that briefings against Streeting were coming from “outside No 10” and that the prime minister had full confidence in McSweeney.

The spokesman declined to say whether there was an investigation into the leak, but said leaks would be “dealt with.”