Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to confront a damaging internal rebellion within his own government after Health Secretary Wes Streeting publicly condemned the "toxic culture" surrounding the Prime Minister's Downing Street operation.
Leadership Coup Rumours Spark Civil War
The political crisis erupted following reports suggesting Mr Streeting was plotting a potential leadership challenge against the Prime Minister. Senior figures within Number 10 moved quickly to distance Sir Keir from what they described as "completely unacceptable" attacks on the Health Secretary.
During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir told MPs: "I've never authorised attacks on Cabinet members" and insisted Mr Streeting was doing a "great job" in his role. However, the damage had already been done, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch seizing on the situation to declare that "the Government has descended into a civil war".
Streeting Fights Back Against 'Juvenile' Briefing
In a series of broadcast interviews on Wednesday morning, Mr Streeting didn't hold back in his criticism of those responsible for spreading the leadership speculation. He suggested the anonymous briefers had been "watching too much Celebrity Traitors" and described the tactics as "totally self-defeating".
The Health Secretary told Sky News: "This is just about the worst attack on a faithful I've seen since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final. It's totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it's not true and I don't understand how anyone thinks it's helpful to the Prime Minister either."
Mr Streeting specifically highlighted problems with the "culture in No 10" and called for those responsible to be sacked, though he acknowledged the Prime Minister would need to "find them first".
McSweeney Under Spotlight as Poll Ratings Plummet
The internal unrest has focused fresh attention on Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir's long-time ally and chief of staff. During PMQs, Ms Badenoch directly questioned whether the Prime Minister still had full confidence in his top aide.
The Labour Party's internal turmoil comes at a difficult time for the government, with poll ratings having plummeted since Sir Keir delivered a landslide general election victory in July 2024. MPs are growing increasingly nervous about Rachel Reeves' upcoming Budget in a fortnight, which could see the party break its manifesto promise not to increase income tax.
There are also widespread fears among Labour parliamentarians about a potential "bloodbath" in elections scheduled for next May, covering English councils and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
One Labour MP told PA news agency they were left in despair over the briefing, saying "whoever thought it was clever wants shooting" and that "there is clearly a cultural problem". Another MP from the left of the party revealed there was widespread belief that Sir Keir may not lead the party into the next election.
However, launching a formal leadership challenge against the Prime Minister remains difficult under Labour Party rules. Any challenger would need the public support of 20% of the party's MPs, currently equivalent to 80 nominations, before an election could be initiated.
