Sir Keir Starmer faces another day of uncertainty over his position as Health Secretary Wes Streeting considers mounting a challenge for the premiership. Streeting is believed to have informed allies that he is preparing to resign as early as Thursday to announce a bid for the leadership, following Labour's descent into open division at the start of the week.
Leadership bid prospects
Efforts to remove Sir Keir from Downing Street appeared to stall on Wednesday, with no further ministerial resignations or backbench calls for his departure as Westminster focused on the King's Speech. However, the morning saw Labour's trade union backers withdraw their support for Sir Keir, while Streeting's team did not deny claims that he was poised to quit.
If Streeting proceeds with a challenge, he will require the backing of 81 Labour MPs to initiate a formal contest. While some 87 MPs have publicly called for Sir Keir's resignation, they are not united behind a single candidate. Other potential challengers include former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, and armed forces minister Al Carns.
Carns calls for action
In an article for The New Statesman published on Thursday, former Royal Marines officer Al Carns stated: "We do not need more slogans, strategies, press releases or commissions. We need action."
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has questioned whether any of the Prime Minister's rivals can gather the necessary support to launch a contest. Sir Keir is expected to fight any leadership challenge and spent Wednesday afternoon meeting ministers and Labour MPs in an effort to avert a coup.
Government agenda continues
On Thursday, Sir Keir will seek to regain control of the political agenda by introducing legislation to overhaul social housing and the "right to buy." Ahead of the Social Housing Renewal Bill, aimed at boosting the supply of council homes, he said his government was "taking responsibility, rebuilding social housing, and delivering the change people voted for."
Meanwhile, the prospect of a return to Parliament for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham receded as more MPs declared they did not intend to vacate their seats for a by-election. Manchester MPs Afzal Khan and Jeff Smith had been rumoured to be willing to make way for Burnham, but both denied to the Press Association that they were preparing to stand down.
