Starmer lieutenant hints he’ll quit in hours: Cabinet showdown looms after ministers ‘tell him to go’ – with Streeting ‘poised for killer blow’

A key ally of Keir Starmer has hinted the Prime Minister is on the verge of setting a departure timetable today.

Darren Jones said he would “not get in the way of any decisions” when asked if the Prime Minister would lead the party at the next election.

Sir Keir’s grip on power appears to be slipping after Cabinet members, said to include Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, privately invited him to leave gracefully following the disastrous local elections.

The Prime Minister will face his senior team at the weekly cabinet meeting this morning; This could be a critical moment at a time when the fight for Labour’s political soul is in full swing.

While around 80 MPs publicly demanded his resignation, telling him to ‘be realistic’ and accept that ‘it’s over’, five deputy ministers walked out.

One of them, Joe Morris, is an aide to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who is seen as the Blairite candidate to replace the Prime Minister.

The fact that the MP sitting in the seat next to him in East London is also among the rebels increases the panic on the left that he is behind the sudden coup. They want to slow down the process so Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham can return to the House of Commons and run.

In a sign of growing tensions, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said this morning: ‘Wes Streeting launched a coup out of fear of the democratic process and obstruction of candidates. Taking the leadership under Mandelson’s auspices is a gift to the Reformation.’

As Westminster today faces the prospect of sacking a fourth Prime Minister in just four years:

• Britain’s borrowing costs have risen as markets fear the danger of the government drifting left;
• Concerns were expressed that the King would be embarrassed by having to deliver a State Inaugural address for a ‘zombie’ Prime Minister;
• A desperate minister has admitted Labor MPs look like hypocrites after condemning the Conservatives for their ‘carousel of chaos’.

Ms Rayner moved last night amid concerns on the Left that Blairite Wes Streeting could take over from Sir Keir in the event of an immediate stand-off.

Mr Jones, a chief loyalist, was sent to the gritty TV studios by Downing Street this morning.

But he did not make a firm commitment to keep the prime minister in office.

He told Sky News: ‘I spoke to the Prime Minister last night, as you would expect, and he is speaking to colleagues who, again as you would expect, raised the issues yesterday.

‘But at the same time, as I’m sure all my colleagues were, it was very clear when we came into the office this morning, as we all do, that we are absolutely focused on our work, on delivering what we promise to deliver to the public.’

Asked whether Sir Keir would lead Labor at the next election, Mr Jones said: ‘I will not stand in the way of any decision the Prime Minister may or may not make.

‘He made it very clear yesterday that he would not walk away, as some of my colleagues wanted him to do…

‘All I would say is that the vast majority of us are focused on using the time we have in government to deliver the kind of changes we are passionate about delivering to people across the country, but we need to work together as a party in this new political era of five-party politics and the rise of populist parties in our country to set the course for winning the next election.’

The situation spiraled out of control last night as Labor groups jostled for position.

One despairing minister told the Daily Mail: ‘This is not organised, and anyone can see that the timing is random and appalling.’

The timetable for the appointment of a new Prime Minister has emerged as a critical issue as the Blairites and the hard Left seek to gain the upper hand.

Secondly, he wants a delay so that Mr Burnham has a chance of winning the by-election and returning to the House of Commons; Streeting will be the favorite if the rivalry is resolved quickly.

The crisis was escalated further at the weekend when backbencher Catherine West put herself forward as a ‘chasing horse’ candidate to challenge the Prime Minister.

A formal contest for Labor leader could be triggered when a single candidate receives 81 nominations from MPs.

Sir Keir attempted to quell the rebellion in a speech yesterday, warning of ‘chaos’ if he is overthrown and vowing not to ‘walk away’.

But his intervention did not satisfy the angry Labor Party base; The numbers calling for his resignation continued to increase.

The decision taken by five deputy ministers (the others being Tom Rutland, Sally Jameson, Naushabah Khan and Melanie Ward) appeared to be part of a coordinated move against the Prime Minister.

In a sign of the heated atmosphere in Westminster, deputy health secretary Stephen Kinnock admitted last night that some Cabinet members may be calling for the Prime Minister to attend the meeting this morning.

‘It is possible for cabinet members to do this. I really have no idea. “What I’m simply saying is that I hope that any of my colleagues who are potentially considering doing this will really pause and think for a moment and think about the potential for chaos that could ensue,” he told BBC Newsnight.

Angela Rayner yesterday called on the Prime Minister to help Mr Burnham return as an MP after blocking him from standing in the Gorton & Denton by-election in February.

Labor sources claimed Ms Rayner had struck a ‘dream ticket’ deal with Mr Burnham that would see him return as deputy prime minister despite the ongoing investigation into his tax affairs.

Speaking to the Communications Workers Union, Ms Rayner said Mr Burnham ‘should never have been blocked’ and added: ‘It was a mistake that our party’s leadership must correct.’

With Labor MPs divided over who will replace Sir Keir, the outcome of any race will be highly unpredictable.

Mr Burnham is the current favorite but could be barred from running if the Prime Minister is removed in a chaotic process. Allies say he is ready to announce he is willing to step aside to pave the way for a sympathetic north-west MP to return to parliament.

But any midterm election would take weeks, if not months. Such a contest could be fraught with risks, with Reform making huge gains in Labour’s Red Wall.

Angela Rayner yesterday called on the Prime Minister to help Mr Burnham return as an MP after blocking her from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February (the trio were photographed together in Manchester last month)

Mr Burnham will also need to persuade Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee to allow his candidacy after blocking his last bid in February.

Kemi Badenoch said it was ‘sad’ to watch the Prime Minister ‘flounder’ and warned replacing him with another Labor politician would make no difference.

‘It’s not just Starmer,’ he said. ‘There’s no answer for all the crooks jostling for jobs, either, because they all believe the same thing: more prosperity, more government control, more debt, more regulation.

‘They’re busy arguing about who should drive, but the truth is they’re all going in the wrong direction.’