Keir Starmer sounded defiance today as he confronted the Cabinet amid an overwhelming Labour revolt.
The PM’s grip on power is slipping after members of his top team – said to include Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood – privately urged him to make a graceful exit in the wake of disastrous local elections.
But Sir Keir effectively dared his rivals to move against him this morning, telling the gathering in No10: ‘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.’
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, regarded by Sir Keir’s dwindling band of allies as being behind the coup, was present to hear the stark message. Housing Secretary Steve Reed appeared to be posting on social media from inside the Cabinet room, urging people to ‘unite behind the PM’.
It came as Miatta Fahnbulleh joined the rebellion, becoming the first minister to quit.
Significantly, one of Sir Keir’s closest allies Darren Jones said he would not ‘get ahead of any decision’ when asked whether the PM would lead the party into the next election.
More than 80 MPs have now publicly called for his resignation, telling him to ‘get real’ and recognise ‘it’s over’, while five ministerial aides have walked out.
One of them, Joe Morris, is an aide to Mr Streeting, seen as the Blairite candidate to replace the PM.
Labour’s Left-wing is panicking that Mr Streeting has outmanoeuvred them and will end up with the keys to No10. They want to slow the process so Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham can get back into the Commons and be a contender.
In a sign of the rising tensions, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said this morning: ‘Wes Streeting has launched coup for fear of a democratic process and whilst candidates are blocked. Handing leadership to Mandelson’s protege is a gift to Reform.’
As Westminster faces the prospect of a fourth PM being kicked out in just four years today:
- The UK’s borrowing costs have jumped as markets take fright at the danger of the Government lurching to the Left;
- Concerns have been raised that the King will be embarrassed by having to deliver a State Opening speech for a ‘zombie’ PM;
- A despairing minister has admitted Labour MPs look like hypocrites after condemning the Tories over a ‘carousel of chaos’;
- A poll has showed Labour support falling back after the local elections, level-pegging with the Greens on third.
Darren Jones said he would not ‘get ahead of any decision’ when asked whether the PM would lead the party into the next election
Ms Rayner acted last night amid worries on the Left that Blairite Wes Streeting is in pole position to take over from Sir Keir if there is an immediate contest
Deputy PM David Lammy gave a cheery wave as he arrived for Cabinet with Lord Hermer today
Rachel Reeves slipped into Downing Street ahead of the Cabinet meeting today
Mr Jones, an arch-loyalist, was sent out by Downing Street to brave TV studios this morning.
However, he did not give a firm commitment to the premier staying in post.
He told Sky News: ‘I spoke to the Prime Minister last night, as you would expect, and he, as you would also expect, is talking to colleagues who have raised issues yesterday.
‘But he was also very clear, as I’m sure all of my colleagues are, that coming into the office this morning, as we all are doing, we’re absolutely focused on our jobs, on delivering the things that we promise to deliver for the public.’
Asked if Sir Keir would be leading Labour into the next election, Mr Jones said: ‘I’m not going to get ahead of any decision that the Prime Minister may or may not take.
‘He was very clear yesterday that he will not be walking away, as some of my colleagues have asked him to do…
‘All I would say is that the vast majority of us are focused on using the time we have in government to be able to deliver the types of change for people across the country that we’re also passionate about delivering, but that we have to work together then as a party in this new political era of five-party politics, of the rise of populist parties in our country, to be able to set the course for winning that next election.’
The situation spiralled out of control last night as Labour factions jostled for position.
One despairing minister told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s not organised and everyone can see the timing is accidental and appalling.’
The timetable for appointing a new PM has emerged as a critical issue as Blairites and the hard Left try to get the upper hand.
The latter want a delay so Mr Burnham has a chance to win a by-election and return to the Commons – while Streeting would be favourite if the contest is resolved quickly.
The crisis was escalated at the weekend by backbencher Catherine West putting herself forward as a ‘stalking horse’ candidate to challenge the PM.
A formal contest for Labour leader can be triggered when a single candidate gets 81 nominations from MPs.
Sir Keir tried to quell the revolt in a speech yesterday, warning of ‘chaos’ if he is ousted and vowing not to ‘walk away’.
But his intervention did not satisfy the furious Labour rank and file, with numbers calling for his resignation continuing to rack up.
The views of John Healey and Ed Miliband will be crucial in deciding the next steps
Loyalist Darren Jones refused to say this morning that the PM would fight the next election
John McDonnell branded Mr Streeting ‘Mandelson’s protege’ as Labour tensions raged
Miatta Fahnbulleh joined the rebellion this morning, becoming the first minister to quit calling for Sir Keir to go
The decision by five ministerial aides – the others are Tom Rutland, Sally Jameson, Naushabah Khan and Melanie Ward – looked to be part of a coordinated move against the PM.
In a sign of the febrile atmosphere in Westminster, junior health minister Stephen Kinnock admitted last night that some Cabinet members ‘may well’ call for the Prime Minister to go the meeting this morning.
‘It is possible that members of the Cabinet might do that. I genuinely have no idea at all. What I am simply saying is any one of my colleagues who is potentially thinking of doing that, I just hope they really will take a beat, pause and reflect, and think about the potential that has for the chaos that might be unleashed,’ he told BBC Newsnight.
Angela Rayner yesterday called on the PM to help Mr Burnham return as an MP, after blocking him from fighting the Gorton & Denton by-election in February.
Labour sources claimed Ms Rayner has agreed a ‘dream ticket’ deal with Mr Burnham which would see her return as deputy prime minister despite an ongoing investigation into her tax affairs.
In a speech to the Communication Workers’ Union, Ms Rayner said Mr Burnham ‘should never have been blocked’, adding: ‘It was a mistake that the leadership of our party should put right.’
With Labour MPs divided over who should succeed Sir Keir, any contest would be highly unpredictable.
Mr Burnham is the current favourite, but he could be excluded from running if the PM is forced out in a chaotic process. Allies say he is ready to reveal that a sympathetic north-west MP is willing to step aside to open up a route back to parliament.
But any by-election would take weeks if not months. And with Reform making sweeping gains in Labour’s Red Wall, such a contest could be fraught with risk.
Angela Rayner yesterday called on the PM to help Mr Burnham return as an MP, after blocking him from fighting the Gorton & Denton by-election in February (the trio are pictured together in Manchester last month)
Mr Burnham would also have to persuade labour’s ruling National Executive Committee to allow him to stand after it blocked his last bid in February.
Kemi Badenoch said it was ‘sad to watch’ the PM ‘floundering’ and warned that replacing him with another Labour politician would make no difference.
‘It is not just Starmer,’ she said. ‘All the pretenders jostling for his job do not have the answers either, because they all believe the same things: more welfare, more state control, more borrowing, more regulation.
‘They are busy arguing over who should drive the car, but the truth is they are all heading in the wrong direction.’
