Keir Starmer is set to face Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday amid rumours of plots looking to oust him as leader.
On Tuesday evening, allies of the Prime Minister told several news outlets his job might be in jeopardy after the budget in two weeks’ time.
They were particularly suspicious of UK health secretary Wes Streeting’s leadership ambitions.
However Streeting categorically ruled out a bid to challenge the Prime Minister on Wednesday morning, describing rumours as “unhelpful” and “self-defeating”.
He also urged Starmer to sack whoever is briefing the media.
The flurry of late-night briefings from Number 10 on Tuesday warned that any attempt to oust the Prime Minister over tanking poll ratings would be a “reckless” and “dangerous” move that could destabilise the markets, international relationships, and the Labour party.
Starmer’s allies insisted that he would fight to retain the leadership in any contest that followed a challenge, either immediately after the budget or following defeat at the Scottish and Welsh elections in May.
While they were particularly suspicious of Streeting’s ambitions, Starmer’s friends also warned off potential leadership challenges from other senior Labour figures, including home secretary Shabana Mahmood and energy secretary Ed Miliband.
A critic within Government told several news outlets No 10 had gone into “full bunker mode”.
The Prime Minister could face questions about the late night briefings as well as his job security.
PMQs will be broadcast from the House of Commons at midday on Wednesday.
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