Starmer vs Streeting: ‘The PM wanted to look strong – now he looks weak and brittle’
Wes Streeting has denied claims he is making moves to take Keir Starmer’s job – after a briefing from the PM’s own people suggested a threat to his leadership. What’s going on, and why has this happened?
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In brief…
- Sources close to Keir Starmer issued a statement accusing Wes Streeting of attempting to oust Keir Starmer, which the health secretary has denied.
- The News Agents believe this was an attempt from Starmer’s camp to make the PM seem more secure in the top job, but has resulted in him appearing “brittle” with his responses.
- Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel say there are once again questions on who is really in charge inside 10 Downing Street – Starmer, or his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.
What’s the story?
“The adults are back in the room”.
That was the message from Labour front-benchers when Keir Starmer entered Downing Street after securing victory at the 2024 general election, as supporters celebrated “the quiet” after 14 tumultuous years of Tory government.
Those “adults” are now squabbling amongst themselves, and the idea of “quiet” inside No.10 is long gone, with briefings and counter-briefings pinging out of Labour offices suggesting threats to Starmer’s leadership from members of his top team.
On Tuesday 11 November, rumours emerged that Wes Streeting may have been on manoeuvres to oust Starmer – which came from Labour insiders close to the Prime Minister, who also stressed that the PM was standing firm in his role.
“It came out of nowhere,” says Emily Maitlis.
“I was told Keir Starmer would be horrified by the briefing that had gone out, and the words my source actually used were: 'Keir Starmer is a keep calm and carry on person'.
“He would not want this to be inflaming a situation that possibly doesn't even exist.”
Health secretary Streeting has denied the confusing reports, comparing the briefings to being on The Traitors TV show.
Jon believes the Downing Street statement, insisting Starmer was going nowhere, was issued in the expectation that it might appear in some minor reporting, but instead became headline news.
“I think they thought they would be able to get this out below the radar, but of course, if you give a briefing saying, ‘I’m not going anywhere, I'm standing firm – plotters back off’, it’s going to be front page news,” he says.
“And sure enough, it is on the front pages of most of the newspapers.
“If the Prime Minister was trying to make himself look tough with this, it instead made him look weak, vulnerable and rather brittle in the process.”
Who’s really in charge at the top of Labour?
During Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 12 November, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch quizzed Starmer on rumours his advisor Morgan McSweeney was behind the Streeting challenge leaks.
A long-term Labour strategist, McSweeney is currently Starmer’s chief of staff.
Responding in the House of Commons, Starmer said "McSweeney, my team and I are absolutely focused on delivering for the country", and insisted he had never authorised attacks on any cabinet members.
“I think there is a fundamental question about governing, which is whether Morgan McSweeney is now more powerful than the Prime Minister,” says Jon.
“There is profound disillusionment with his leadership, and I think there is a general feeling within the Labour Party, within the cabinet, that he doesn't have the political smarts, the political savvy, to turn this around.”
But while the current situation appears to be a bungled briefing which has been blown out of proportion, Jon believes Starmer is set to face serious challenges to his power – and it’s a case of when, not if.
“Do I think it will happen post budget? No, because I think it would be so sudden, it would look like total panic,” he says.
“Do I think there is a moment of vulnerability after the May elections? Absolutely bloody, right.
“So Keir Starmer may be safe for now, but is he in a position of strength? You must be joking.”