Health Secretary Wes Streeting found himself in an extraordinary position on Wednesday morning, forced to use his scheduled media appearances about the NHS to vehemently deny allegations he was plotting to overthrow Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Breakfast Broadcast Denials
In what political observers are calling a spectacular own goal by Downing Street aides, Streeting appeared on multiple breakfast programmes including BBC Breakfast, where he referenced the popular TV show The Traitors to defend his position. "I'm a faithful," he deadpanned, adding that "what you've seen from a silly No 10 source overnight is probably the worst attack on a faithful since Joe Marler was banished in The Traitors final."
The remarkable situation unfolded after The Guardian published a story late on Tuesday revealing an extraordinary operation to protect Starmer from suspected leadership challenges. Senior aides close to the Prime Minister had briefed journalists about their fears that Starmer was vulnerable to a coup attempt following the budget.
No 10's Backfiring Strategy
Rather than strengthening Starmer's position, the briefings appear to have backfired dramatically. By Wednesday morning, the Times ran a headline mocking Labour's attempt to defend itself from "feral" MPs, while the BBC also prominently featured the story.
Starmer and his allies were immediately put on the defensive, warning that any attempt to oust him would be "reckless" and "the height of irresponsibility". They reminded the public that no Labour prime minister has ever been forced out of Downing Street by their own MPs.
According to Guardian deputy political editor Jessica Elgot, the situation reflects deeper problems within Starmer's leadership. "His inability to articulate a vision seems to have left some in his party, and they fear the country, feeling cold after a landslide election that they had hoped would bring relief," she explained.
The Wider Leadership Landscape
While Streeting is seen as the most immediate threat internally, he's not the only potential leadership contender being discussed in Westminster circles. Other names circulating include Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who launched his own "manoeuvrings" two months ago, along with Bridget Phillipson, Shabana Mahmood, and even Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Elgot noted that No 10 has developed "a real anger" over Streeting's positioning in recent months, as he has increasingly positioned himself as a counterpoint to Starmer on issues like Gaza and progressive values such as anti-racism.
What makes Streeting particularly dangerous to the current leadership, according to political analysts, is his communication style. "He shares the ability, along with Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, to communicate with a degree of authenticity that so many politicians find difficult," Elgot observed. "He doesn't need to think and process and say a line over and over. He's just able to instinctively say the thing he thinks."
The fallout from Tuesday night's briefings has now put pressure on Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister's chief of staff, who is being blamed within party circles for No 10's aggressive pushback against perceived leadership threats.
As Labour MPs digest the implications of this very public airing of internal tensions, questions remain about whether Streeting genuinely represents an alternative vision for the party. "A few people said to me this morning: 'We don't know what would be different,'" Elgot reported, highlighting that while Streeting may be an effective communicator, his substantive policy differences with Starmer remain unclear.
