Keir Starmer has criticized the “unacceptable” assaults on Wes Streeting following a failed attempt by No10 to quash challenges to the PM’s leadership.
Supporters of the Prime Minister launched a preemptive attack against a possible post-Budget rebellion, cautioning that Mr. Starmer would resist any efforts to remove him. However, the maneuver, which seemed to target the Health Secretary in particular, ended in failure.
On Wednesday, a conflict erupted as Mr. Streeting criticized the “toxic environment” in No10, with one MP likening aides to characters from the Thick of It. Mr. Starmer was compelled to publicly distance himself from the attacks in the Commons, throwing his support behind his Health Secretary, whom he praised for doing “an excellent job.”
“I find any assault on any member of my Cabinet entirely unacceptable,” he stated, emphasizing that he had never authorized negative briefings against members of his top team. In a subsequent briefing, the PM’s political spokesperson stated: “As previously stated, any unauthorized briefings against Cabinet Ministers will be addressed.”
The spokesperson affirmed that the PM had full confidence in his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, despite some MPs attempting to attribute the briefing to him.
Mr. Streeting vehemently refuted allegations that he was scheming to depose the PM during a planned media round prior to a significant speech on the NHS. He dismissed the “self-defeating” rumors as being propagated by individuals overly engrossed in watching “Celebrity Traitors.”
“This is one of the most detrimental attacks on loyalty I’ve witnessed since Joe Marler was ejected and exiled in the finale,” he remarked. “It’s an entirely self-defeating briefing, especially because it’s untrue and I fail to comprehend how anyone deems it beneficial to the Prime Minister.”
He attributed the situation to a “toxic environment” in Downing Street and asserted that those behind the briefings should be dismissed. Mr. Streeting remarked, “I believe that branding your Labour MPs as feral is unproductive.”
“I also think that attempting to undermine one of your own team members who not only advocates for the Government but also implements the promised changes is self-defeating and self-destructive behavior,” he added.
The dispute arises amid MP concerns as Mr. Starmer grapples with improving Labour’s poll standings amidst a surge from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. It also occurs just prior to Rachel Reeves delivering a critical Budget, anticipated to include tax increases that contradict manifesto pledges.
Labour MPs expressed their outrage on Wednesday over the decision to intensify Westminster gossip about Mr. Starmer’s future. A Labour MP informed the Mirror: “Honestly, the PM employs amateurs. The operation was efficiently preparing MPs for a challenging Budget, with numerous briefings and meetings – only to spoil it by needlessly targeting Wes?”
The MP continued, “None of this aligns with our promise of calm, stability, and mature leadership. How can he be so adept on the international stage yet so inept with his own MPs?” Another MP remarked, “They believe they are from the West Wing but are more akin to the Thick of It.”
Jo White, chair of the Labour MP Red Wall group, cautioned against public infighting, stating, “Our adversaries revel in our public conflicts, and I urge those MPs causing disruptions to cease. This group believes they are more astute than the rest of us, engaging in selective briefings and stirring trouble. I want to emphasize: We will not tolerate it.”
She added, “To No10, I believe they are targeting the wrong person by briefing against Wes.” However, a minister downplayed the briefings to the Mirror, urging the party to “focus on the job.”
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