Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has delivered a robust defence of Sir Keir Starmer, insisting the Prime Minister should not consider standing aside despite growing turmoil within the Labour government.
Westminster Infighting Erupts
The intervention comes after a bitter briefing war broke out at the highest levels of government earlier this week, with allies of the Prime Minister indicating he was prepared to fight off challenges to his leadership. Health Secretary Wes Streeting was specifically identified as a potential challenger during the internal conflicts that have rocked Westminster.
Ms Mahmood made her comments during an appearance on Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on November 16, 2025, where she was directly questioned about whether the Prime Minister needed to reconsider his position following a difficult week for Number 10.
Mahmood's Strong Defence
"No. Keir Starmer is our Prime Minister," the Home Secretary stated emphatically. "We won an election just under a year and a half or so ago, when people thought that we would not win an election for maybe a generation or more."
She expressed clear frustration with the anonymous briefings circulating in political circles, describing them as "Westminster bubble tittle-tattle" that she had "no time for." Ms Mahmood challenged those with concerns to speak publicly, stating: "If people have things to say, they should have the courage of their convictions and say so publicly, and that is not what is happening."
The Home Secretary characterised the anonymous briefings at the beginning of the week as "unedifying and deeply embarrassing for everyone concerned."
Cross-Party Reactions and Warnings
The internal Labour conflicts have drawn criticism from opposition figures, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp claiming Labour are "fighting like rats in a sack." He argued that the Conservatives have moved beyond their own party divisions while the government focuses on internal battles.
Mr Philp warned that the infighting comes just weeks before a budget that he claims will unleash significant tax rises and potentially drive unemployment higher.
Meanwhile, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner became the latest senior Labour figure to condemn the internal disputes, echoing Ms Mahmood's description of the situation as "arrogant tittle tattle." Speaking during a constituency visit to a care centre, Ms Rayner emphasised that the anonymous briefings and leadership speculation were detached from the real issues affecting ordinary people.
The government is currently grappling with concerns from its own Labour MPs about ministerial approaches to multiple policy areas and the party's performance in recent polling. The internal tensions have emerged alongside warnings that any attempt to topple the Prime Minister could trigger market chaos, adding economic stability concerns to the political drama unfolding in Westminster.
