Starmer says he will fight for his job if Streeting launches contest
Sir Keir Starmer has sought to form a phalanx of loyal ministers and Labour MPs to defend his premiership, as he prepares to fight a coup attempt by health secretary Wes Streeting.
The prime minister told dozens of ministers and MPs on Wednesday that he would see off a Labour leadership bid by Streeting, adding: “We can’t let a leadership contest plunge us into chaos.”
Some ministerial allies of Starmer fear Streeting’s challenge will swiftly bring “soft-left” rivals into the fray, including possibly Ed Miliband, energy secretary and former Labour leader, creating a bitter factional struggle.
Meanwhile supporters of Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor, will demand any leadership contest be put on hold until after he has a chance to return to Westminster.
Starmer’s authority has been eviscerated in recent days by ministerial resignations and more than 90 MPs calling for him to quit, following Labour’s dire results in local and devolved election elections last week.
Some of Starmer’s colleagues thought he might quit on Tuesday. One minister said: “We wanted to see the prime minister, look him in the eye, and see if he has fight. I saw that he has the fight.”
One person at a meeting of ministers in Starmer’s House of Commons office on Wednesday said there was standing room only, while loyal cabinet members were dispatched to Westminster bars and tea rooms to rally supporters.
Streeting is expected by his allies to quit as health secretary and launch a leadership challenge on Thursday morning, even though by Wednesday evening it had not been officially confirmed.
Some of Starmer’s team are “sceptical” that Streeting, who is on the right of the Labour Party, can win the backing of 81 MPs to mount a challenge. But one cabinet minister said the Blairite health secretary would be “stupid” to resign unless he had the numbers.
Starmer warned in the Commons against the “chaos and instability” of previous political upheavals and cabinet members fear Streeting’s move could trigger a full-scale leadership crisis. Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader, said Starmer was “in office, not in power”.
Burnham is hoping to announce soon that a serving MP will vacate their seat and open a path for him — via a parliamentary by-election — to return to Westminster, according to his backers.
Downing Street fears Miliband or Angela Rayner, former deputy prime minister, could also enter a leadership contest — if it is held on a short timeframe — to stop Streeting entering Number 10.
One option being considered in Downing Street would be for Starmer to signal he would not thwart Burnham’s return to Westminster, indicating to MPs that a leadership contest could take place at a later date.
That might persuade soft-left Labour MPs to back Starmer now in a fight with Streeting, in anticipation of a chance to vote for Burnham later. “The door has been left open for Andy’s return,” one Starmer ally said.
Streeting’s plan to challenge Starmer emerged during a day of political drama at Westminster in which King Charles, who attended the state opening of parliament, was reduced to playing only a cameo role.
Streeting and Starmer met on Wednesday morning for a meeting that lasted less than 20 minutes. Streeting’s supporters said he had made up his mind on Tuesday night that he was going to quit and run for the leadership.
Starmer tells supporters he will stand and fight if challenged
Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday launched a House of Commons operation to shore up his leadership, telling supporters he will stand and fight for his job if Wes Streeting tries to topple him.
Starmer met ministers and Labour MPs in parliament during the course of Wednesday afternoon, with Labour officials insisting that there had been a “big show of support” for the prime minister.
The prime minister also dispatched cabinet ministers to the House of Commons tea room to warn MPs that “a leadership election would paralyse the ability of the government to get things done for months”, Labour officials said.
Labour backbench group urges restraint
Labour’s parliamentary committee has told colleagues who are “co-ordinating the statements and resignations to stop”.
The group of six Labour MPs, who represent backbenchers in the party, circulated a memo on Wednesday urging colleagues to channel their views through the committee rather than airing grievances about Sir Keir Starmer publicly.
Having canvassed views from the Parliamentary Labour Party, there was a widespread opinion that “there will be lasting damage if the current position continues”, they added.
They said: “We are grateful for all the MPs who have spoken to us, in confidence, and told us what they would like to happen next. We will honestly reflect those back to the prime minister when we meet him.”