An extraordinary rift has erupted at the highest levels of the Labour government, sparked by an alleged plot to oust Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a subsequent “briefing war” from Downing Street. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, identified as being “on manoeuvres” by Starmer’s allies, has vehemently denied leading any challenge against the prime minister, particularly after the upcoming budget or May local elections.

Streeting condemned the anonymous attacks targeting him, describing them as “self-defeating,” indicative of a “toxic culture inside No 10,” and proof that “there are people around the prime minister who do not follow his model and style of leadership.” He rebuked the senior aides responsible, urging Starmer to sack them, though he acknowledged the prime minister would first need to identify them. Streeting likened the “unhelpful” briefings to conspiracy theories, quipping that “whoever’s been briefing this has been watching too much Celebrity Traitors.” He also pointedly referenced Lucy Powell, Labour’s newly elected deputy leader, stating that the attacks vindicated her calls for a culture change within Downing Street.

The prime minister, facing Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions, attempted to quell the internal unrest, declaring any briefing against cabinet ministers from inside Downing Street as “completely unacceptable.” Starmer defended Streeting, praising his work as health secretary and asserting that he had “never authorised attacks on cabinet members.” However, he conspicuously dodged Badenoch’s direct question about having full confidence in his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, merely stating that McSweeney was “focused on delivering for the country.”

Labour MPs and party insiders have widely blamed Morgan McSweeney for orchestrating the