Downing Street was allegedly "on alert" last night amid suggestions that the Health Secretary is leading a potential plot to oust the PM after the upcoming Budget
Downing Street was allegedly "on alert" last night amid suggestions that the Health Secretary is leading a potential plot to oust the PM after the upcoming Budget.
But Mr Streeting, 42, poured cold water on these reports, labelling the alleged coup as "ridiculous" when speaking to Nick Ferrari at Breakfast.
"I think this is daft. I think someone in Downing Street is been watching too much celebrity traitors," he joked.
"This is the most appalling attack on a faithful I have seen since Joe Marlar was banned in the final."
Mr Streeting said he last saw Sir Keir on Monday for a meeting with a small group of cabinet members.
Asked directly if he wanted to become Prime Minister, he added: "Not if this is how people behave in your own house. I'm talking to you from the LBC safe house which is just across the road from parliament. This is ridiculous. The Prime Minister is not fighting for his job."
Senior Labour figures raised fears that up to 50 frontbenchers are willing to stand down in order to force Sir Keir out should the Budget on November 26 land poorly.
Starmer's closest aides have said that any attempt to remove the Prime Minister would be "reckless" and "dangerous" – reportedly telling the Guardian that the move would destabilise the markets, international relationships and Labour itself.
They also have suggested that Sir Keir would stay to fight any leadership election, rather than stepping aside for rivals
Despite the difficult Budget, other sources speaking to the Times suggested that poor election results in the May 2026 locals could seal Starmer's fate.
A Downing Street source said: “Keir doesn’t realise this is existential for him. But it’s astonishing that MPs think that ousting him might be an answer – the public will just think we’re no different from the last lot.”
A Cabinet minister told the Guardian: “Wes is obviously on manoeuvres but it’s not about ousting Keir, it’s about putting himself in pole position if a vacancy should come about. He’s not the only one. But we’ve all seen the polling and are worried that we’re about to hand the country to Reform."
“I doubt that anybody who replaced Keir could shift the dial in the country, especially if they also needed to make up for the level of chaos they’d create by changing leader.”
The alarm from No.10 comes after reports last week suggested 2024 intake of Labour parliamentarians were discussing the mechanics of a future coup, according to the i Paper.
A spokesperson for Wes Streeting told the Guardian the suggestion of a coup was “categorically untrue”.
They added: “Wes’s focus has entirely been on cutting waiting lists for the first time in 15 years, recruiting 2,500 more GPs, and rebuilding the NHS that saved his life.”
Other Labour leadership hopefuls reported by the Times include Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and former leader Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
MPs told the Times that Angela Rayner, the former Deputy Prime Minister, is likely to emerge as the “kingmaker” in any race to succeed Starmer.
A Starmer ally told the Times: “Keir knows he is already fighting a leadership contest. When it comes, he won’t resign. He will fight it. He thinks it’s fantasy politics. The first thing any leadership candidate is going to do is attack Trump, demand we drop the fiscal rules or rejoin the EU.
"What would two or three months of cabinet ministers pitching left for the members like that do to the markets? How would it look to the Americans or Brussels?”
Another said: “Keir is utterly committed to renewing the country. He always said this was a tough and long journey, but not one that can be completed in a year. So I’m certain that he would fight any challenge."
