Wounded Starmer Convenes Cabinet After Surviving Dramatic Leadership Challenge
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will assemble his Cabinet today after senior ministers "looked over the precipice" and decided against ousting him—at least for the immediate future. The gathering follows more than twenty-four hours of deathly silence from key government figures in the wake of his chief aide's resignation over the escalating Mandelson scandal.
Sarwar's Dramatic Assassination Bid Sparks Panic in Downing Street
The Cabinet only finally rallied around the Prime Minister after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar publicly demanded his resignation, triggering widespread panic within Number Ten. Sarwar, once considered a staunch ally of Sir Keir, declared that "the distraction has to end, the leadership has to change," citing "too many mistakes" in Downing Street. His dramatic intervention forced a major rescue operation, with ministers reportedly instructed to voice public support for Starmer by the end of the day or face dismissal.
Questions are now swirling throughout Westminster about what specific concessions and political deals Sir Keir might have negotiated to secure his temporary survival. The Prime Minister appears significantly weakened, having been compelled to commit to releasing far more damaging internal messages related to the Mandelson affair.
Key Figures in the Cabinet and Ongoing Plots
Among those attending the Cabinet meeting will be Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has been accused by Number Ten insiders of being a central figure behind the recent coup plot. Streeting complicated matters further by releasing a tranche of messages with Mandelson yesterday, which showed him condemning the government's "no growth" economic strategy. Despite this overt criticism, Sir Keir currently appears too politically weak to consider sacking him.
Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, widely regarded as being on leadership manoeuvres, publicly backed the Prime Minister to continue yesterday. However, she has still not resolved her ongoing issues with HMRC over an unpaid stamp duty bill—the same controversy that forced her resignation as Deputy Prime Minister last September.
Ministerial Support and Economic Defence
In a marked contrast to the previous day's silence, Downing Street managed to persuade a Cabinet minister to publicly defend the government this morning. Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband urged MPs and the public to "move on," telling BBC Breakfast: "The Labour Party as a whole looked over the precipice and thought the right thing to do is to support our leader."
While acknowledging the government needed to implement change faster, Miliband robustly rejected Wes Streeting's critique of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's economic policy. "I think that actually Rachel has done a very good job as Chancellor," he stated on Sky News. "We've seen the stability that is essential. We've seen investment." Miliband also firmly ruled out any personal leadership ambitions, dismissing suggestions of a pitch as "absolute baloney."
Mounting Personnel Crises and Electoral Peril
The Prime Minister is simultaneously grappling with a severe personnel crisis at the heart of government. He is facing the imminent departure of Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald in the coming days, following the resignations of his right-hand man Morgan McSweeney and communications chief Tim Allan. This exodus leaves Sir Keir's inner circle dangerously depleted just one year after he appointed them.
Electorally, the Labour Party is fighting to retain the traditionally safe seat of Gorton & Denton in a critical by-election on February 26th. Furthermore, local elections in May are widely anticipated to be a political bloodbath, with the looming catastrophe in Scotland thought to have directly sparked Anas Sarwar's dramatic leadership challenge.
A Defiant But Weary Prime Minister Battles On
Following the chaotic events, a visibly weary Sir Keir Starmer was seen returning to his Number Ten bunker in a government car last night. In a defiant address to Labour MPs later, the Prime Minister vowed to continue the fight, declaring: "Every fight I've ever been in, I have won."
Despite this show of resilience, many within the Labour Party still believe the Prime Minister is ultimately doomed. Private discussions were even held regarding the possibility of installing an interim leader, such as Defence Secretary John Healey. However, with potential leadership rivals not yet prepared to make their move and financial markets growing nervous over the prospect of a chaotic contest, the Cabinet finally bowed to pressure and issued a belated flurry of public statements supporting Starmer.
