Wes Streeting to resign in hours and trigger another day of anarchy amid panic on Labour Left as they scramble to unite behind a candidate

Wes Streeting will plunge Labor into civil war today as he quits the Cabinet to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer.

The Health Minister is ready to fire the starting gun this morning after a face-to-face showdown with the Prime Minister lasting just 16 minutes yesterday.

His plans sparked panic in Downing Street and outrage on the Labor left; MPs are even considering Ed Miliband, who is struggling to unite behind his own candidate.

Sir Keir was forced to plead with MPs to step back from the brink of a leadership contest, warning it would lead to ‘chaos’ and ‘paralyze’ the Government for months.

He told them during a series of private meetings in the House of Commons: ‘We cannot allow a leadership contest to plunge us into chaos and a challenge will 100 per cent do that.’

The prime minister’s allies insist he will stand his ground and fight for his job in what is likely to become a three-way, or even quadruple, contest for the keys to No 10.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to signal his desire to succeed Sir Keir today. But it remains unclear whether he will find his way back to Parliament in time.

A union leader accused Mr Streeting of attempting a ‘coup’ by bidding for the leadership before Mr Burnham could stand up.

Sir Keir Starmer, pictured on Wednesday, implored MPs to step away from the brink of the leadership race, warning it would lead to ‘chaos’.

MPs on the party’s left were debating last night whether to back Angela Rayner or Mr Miliband if Mr Burnham drops out of the race.

Mr Miliband had emerged as the favorite despite being publicly rejected at the 2015 election, but his wife Justine Thornton is thought to be against the idea of ​​him running for leader again.

Other potential candidates include deputy leader Lucy Powell and Culture Minister Lisa Nandy.

Cabinet Minister Darren Jones is being encouraged to run as the ‘continuity Starmer’ candidate if the Prime Minister steps aside. Former Special Forces officer Al Carns is also considering entering the race.

The extraordinary events unfolded on the State Opening of Parliament day when the King read out the legislative agenda of a Prime Minister whose own MPs were trying to oust him. Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir was ‘in office but not in power’.

In a stunning performance in the House of Commons, the Conservative leader warned that Britain would be ‘peacocked for months by leadership candidates unless the country is run’.

He added: ‘In the last 48 hours, nearly 100 Labor MPs have called for the Prime Minister’s resignation. Four ministers resigned

‘It is clear that his authority is gone and that he cannot deliver on the little contained in this King’s Speech. ‘This is a Government that has been in office for less than two years, is out of ideas and has run out of ways.’

Pressure has been mounting on Sir Keir since last week’s disastrous local elections in which Labor lost 1,500 council seats in England and finished third in Scotland and Wales.

Downing Street had thought Mr Streeting had eliminated his threat after failing to mount an immediate challenge. Government sources were even provoking him yesterday morning, claiming that he had “bottled” him.

The Prime Minister faced another blow when Labor-supporting unions told him to set a timetable for his departure, saying it was ‘clear that the Prime Minister will not lead Labor at the next election’.

In a joint statement, 11 unions said that ‘Labour cannot continue on its current path’ and that it needs a ‘fundamental change of direction’ to ‘reorient Labor towards working people’.

Mr Streeting is ready to fire the starting gun this morning after a face-to-face showdown with the Prime Minister that lasted just 16 minutes yesterday.

Minutes later Mr Streeting walked into No10 for what Downing Street described as ‘coffee’ to ‘discuss his concerns’ about last week’s election results and the direction of the party.

He emerged 16 minutes later with a blank face and walked away without speaking to waiting reporters. Labour’s warring factions had agreed a temporary 24-hour ceasefire to avoid potentially embarrassing the monarch by launching a leadership challenge on the day of the King’s Speech.

But as Charles heads to Westminster, Mr Streeting’s allies confirmed he plans to resign today.

Downing Street insisted the Prime Minister had ‘full confidence’ in the Health Secretary. Privately, however, there was anger at his decision to challenge for the top job.

An ally of Sir Keir said: ‘This will open a Pandora’s Box from which Labor will never recover. ‘If Ed stays at number 10 it’s all over.’

Mr Streeting is on the right of the party and is viewed with deep suspicion by many on the left.

In the House of Commons, Cabinet ministers belittled Mr Streeting, while Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson ignored his attempt to strike up a conversation.

Sir Keir’s remaining Cabinet supporters were working with whips to defeat Mr Streeting’s supporters last night. He will need the support of at least 81 Labor MPs to launch a formal challenge. Some MPs close to Sir Keir believe he may struggle to reach the threshold.

Under Labour’s rules, other contestants will be able to enter the competition if they meet the support threshold. Sir Keir’s name would be entered automatically.

Mr Streeting’s allies are believed to have contacted MPs asking for their support, it was reported last night. Politicians are said to have suggested they could transfer their votes to another candidate once a contest is triggered.

The Health Secretary’s plans sparked panic in Downing Street and anger on the Labor left; MPs are even considering Ed Miliband as they struggle to unite behind a candidate

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to signal his desire to succeed Sir Keir today

Mr Burnham’s supporters have been lobbying Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee to agree an extended timetable for the leadership contest to give him time to fight a by-election.

But any delay in Mr Burnham’s adjustment could leave Britain with a lame Prime Minister for months. It also remains unclear whether Mr Burnham will win the by-election.

Labour’s Lord Hutton warned that any new leader proposing a radical change of direction would have to call an election to get his own mandate.

The former Cabinet minister told LBC: ‘Given the state of the bond markets, I think there is a huge risk that things will actually get worse if we elect the wrong leader.’