Downing Street has launched an extraordinary operation to protect Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer amid fears among his closest allies that he is vulnerable to a leadership challenge following the budget. Senior aides warned that any attempt to oust him over tanking poll ratings would be 'reckless' and 'dangerous', potentially destabilising markets, international relationships, and the Labour Party.
No 10 sources said they had grown increasingly concerned over speculation that Health Secretary Wes Streeting could be planning an imminent coup, a claim fiercely denied by Streeting. Senior figures claimed Streeting had 50 frontbenchers willing to stand down if the budget landed badly and Starmer did not go. Cabinet ministers interpreted the Downing Street intervention as a 'stop Wes' strategy to warn off putative rivals, including Angela Rayner, Shabana Mahmood, and Ed Miliband.
One source said: 'No 10 has gone into full bunker mode, turning on their most loyal cabinet members for absolutely no reason. A circular firing squad won’t help the government out of the hole we’re in.' Allies insisted Starmer would fight any leadership contest, with one stating: 'Keir will not stand aside at this point, for Wes or anybody else.'
The warnings also targeted jittery Labour MPs concerned about breaking manifesto pledges on tax, potential wipeout at May local elections, and whether Starmer can deliver change and a second general election victory. A senior ally said: 'If you chuck a leadership challenge in just 18 months into government you’d destabilise the markets, our allies and I don’t think the public would forgive us.'
Another No 10 source added: 'Lots of MPs are concerned about where we are but some are going so far as to think it’s a good idea to destabilise the party ahead of, or in the immediate aftermath of, the budget. That’s really risky.' A third source said: 'It’s astonishing that MPs think that ousting him might be an answer – the public will just think we’re no different from the last lot.'
