Downing Street has launched an extraordinary operation to protect Sir Keir Starmer amid fears among the prime minister’s closest allies that he is vulnerable to a leadership challenge after the budget or the May local elections. 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 move fiercely denied by Streeting. Senior figures claimed Streeting had 50 frontbenchers willing to stand down if the budget landed badly. Cabinet ministers, however, interpreted the Downing Street intervention as a “stop Wes” strategy aimed at warning off putative rivals, including Angela Rayner, Shabana Mahmood and Ed Miliband.
“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,” one source said. Allies insisted Starmer would fight any leadership contest, with one stating: “Keir will not stand aside at this point, for Wes or anybody else.”
Another senior ally warned: “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. The impact would be very serious.” A third source added: “Keir doesn’t realise this is existential for him. But 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.”
