Keir Starmer was increasingly confident that he had defused the immediate threat to his position on Tuesday after a challenge from Wes Streeting failed to materialize despite several of the health secretary’s allies leaving the government.
Downing Street insiders suggested that the health secretary did not yet have the necessary support from the 81 MPs required to formally launch a leadership bid after Starmer issued a ‘put up or shut up’ ultimatum to his cabinet.
Streeting was scheduled to hold discussions with Starmer on Wednesday, where he was expected to express his concerns openly, with No 10 insiders suggesting he was stepping back from intense speculation that he was on the verge of running.
“After all that, it looks like Wes may not have the numbers after all," one loyalist cabinet minister told the Guardian. “I’m pleased and furious at the same time. The best thing for him now is to step away with some dignity and end the drama.”
Starmer’s allies also believe he has temporarily neutralized a threat from the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, with one saying: “Andy’s supporters keep saying he’s got a seat. But where is it? It’s not real unless he has one.”
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However, the prime minister’s fragile authority has been further undermined by the resignation of four ministers—three of them close allies of Streeting—in what appeared to be a coordinated move. More than 90 Labour MPs have called for him to resign.
At a key meeting on Tuesday, Labour-supporting unions were divided over whether to call for Starmer to establish a timetable for his departure, the Guardian understands, but privately agreed they did not feel he should lead the party into the next election.
Sources also told the Guardian that Ed Miliband, who has privately suggested to Starmer that he should consider setting out a timeline for his departure, was prepared to run for leader himself if Streeting had gone ahead.
Senior Labour figures said Miliband, the energy secretary, who allies say views himself as a kingmaker rather than a leadership contender, would have arranged a deal with Angela Rayner and Louise Haigh, chair of the Tribune group, for one of them to run as the soft-left candidate, should Burnham not run.
Earlier on Tuesday, a defiant Starmer told his cabinet he would continue as prime minister after a turbulent few days following last week’s crushing election results across Britain, claiming the threshold for a leadership challenge had not been reached.
Numerous cabinet ministers, including David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, rallied around their embattled leader, while over 110 different backbenchers signed a letter stating it was not the time for a challenge.
“I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised,” Starmer told the cabinet meeting. “The past 48 hours have been destabilizing for the government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families. The Labour party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.
“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet.”
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Sources told the Guardian that Starmer did not give cabinet critics time to respond before shifting the conversation to the Middle East.
There was anger among cabinet members over what they saw as Streeting’s attempts to destabilize Starmer, after three of his closest allies—the ministers Jess Phillips, Zubir Ahmed, and Alex Davies-Jones—resigned from government and called for the prime minister to resign.
The health secretary had previously insisted he would not initiate a contest, but would join one if it was already in progress. “Wes has quite the nerve,” one minister said. “Some colleagues are furious with him. There were evil glances in his direction.”
While several sources close to Streeting suggested he did not have the necessary support to launch a challenge, one ally said it would be premature to say the health secretary would not be able to do so. “Don’t rule it out yet,” they said.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, the first minister to resign on Tuesday, is backing Burnham to replace Starmer. She told the Guardian she wanted the prime minister to lay out a timetable for his departure that would allow the Greater Manchester mayor to run.
“Any contest we have must include our strongest players,” she said. “We are not the Tories; we are only going to do this once. We need to have a proper process that allows all candidates to set out their vision for the country.”
However, Burnham’s hopes of returning to Westminster were dealt a blow as the Merseyside MP Marie Rimmer, whose seat had been suggested by key allies for a potential by-election, said she would not stand down and supported Starmer to remain.
Starmer was hoping that his second king’s speech, which will be delivered by King Charles on Wednesday, will serve as a further reset moment for the government that will help unite his deeply divided party.
While he appears to have survived for now, even his most loyal ministers acknowledge that he is unlikely to lead Labour into the next election unless he can dramatically improve his and the government’s fortunes.
In a sign of how close Starmer may have come to the brink, his home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, spent much of the day on resignation watch. Eventually, her spokesperson told reporters: “No [she will not resign]. She is getting on with the job.”
Lammy urged MPs trying to oust Starmer to back off. “Let’s just step back, take a breath, let’s remember that we have the king’s speech, we are in government to do a job of work,” he said.
“It’s been 24 hours now and nobody has stepped forward to nominate themselves in the processes that exist in the party. No one seems to have the names to stand up against Keir Starmer.
“And for those suggesting he should stand down, they should indicate which candidate would be better. Let’s get on with the business of running this country and government.”
The Guardian understands that Lammy was among four senior cabinet ministers—with Mahmood, defense secretary John Healey, and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary—who spoke to Starmer on Monday about his future.
A Labour leadership election is triggered only if 20% of MPs—in this case 81—nominate a specific candidate to stand against the leader. The party’s ruling NEC would then arrange for a full vote of party members.
Deputy Editor & UK News
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