Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared any briefings against cabinet ministers from within Downing Street as "completely unacceptable" during a tense Prime Minister's Questions session that exposed growing rifts at the highest levels of government.
PMQs Confrontation Over Cabinet Loyalty
The confrontation unfolded when Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch challenged Starmer directly about internal conflicts, suggesting he had "lost control of his government" following reports of coordinated briefings against Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Badenoch began the session by referencing Streeting's own comments earlier on Wednesday, where the Health Secretary had described a "toxic culture" inside Number 10 that needed changing. She pressed Starmer to confirm whether he maintained full confidence in his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, whom allies of Streeting have blamed for the negative briefings.
Starmer notably dodged the specific question about McSweeney, instead praising his entire team for being "absolutely focused on delivering for the country."
Leadership Challenge Fears Spark Internal Conflict
The tension follows a Guardian report revealing that Downing Street had launched an operation to protect Starmer against a potential leadership challenge that his allies believe could come from Streeting after either this month's budget or May's local elections.
Starmer's closest allies have stated he would fight any "reckless" attempt to oust him, warning that such moves could destabilise markets and damage Britain's international relationships.
Streeting vehemently denied any leadership ambitions in his BBC interview, describing the attacks against him as "self-defeating" and confirming the toxic atmosphere that Labour's newly elected deputy leader, Lucy Powell, had previously highlighted.
Starmer's Firm Defence of Cabinet
During the exchange, Starmer delivered a strong defence of his Health Secretary, stating: "He is doing a great job, as is all of my cabinet." The Prime Minister explicitly denied authorising any attacks on cabinet members, emphasising that he appointed them because they were "the best people to carry out their jobs."
Badenoch continued to criticise Starmer's government on economic matters, returning to the internal conflicts to conclude that the Prime Minister had "lost control of his government, lost the confidence of his party and lost the trust of the British people."
Starmer countered by attacking the Conservative's economic record, accusing them of breaking the economy while promoting "unserious" fiscal plans involving £47 billion of unspecified cuts.
The public airing of Labour's internal tensions marks a significant challenge for Starmer's relatively new government, raising questions about discipline within Downing Street and the Prime Minister's control over his own team.
