Labour civil war: Keir Starmer ‘will fight any challenge to oust him’, says No 10

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Challengers for the Labour leadership can initiate an election with the support of 20% of the party’s MPs, which means 80 nominations would currently be needed.

Labour affiliates including trade unions would be able to vote in the ballot alongside individual members.

Reporting over the last week has suggested a growing number of MPs are unhappy with the Prime Minister’s performance and the party’s poll ratings and are planning a coup.

Backbenchers are also worried about the upcoming Budget and the prospect of tax rises which break Labour’s manifesto commitments.

The PM’s senior aides have reportedly warned party members that any attempts to oust him will cause market chaos and could also upend international relations.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has shared a message on social media in an apparent attempt to shift conversation away from rumoured of a leadership bid against the Prime Minister.

Mr Streeting will be in the public eye as he faces the media round this morning, before later speaking at a health conference. His spokesperson rubbished reports that he has a group of some 50 frontbeachers ready to walk away from government if the upcoming Autumn Budget lands badly last night.

Writing on X, he said: “Good morning! Really looking forward to setting out our plans to modernise the NHS and reinvest billions saved from cutting bureaucracy into the frontline so we can cut waiting lists!”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been forced to deny that she is plotting a leadership bid as rumours swirl of unease in Keir Starmer‘s government.

Ms Mahmood dismissed the suggestions as “nonsense” and insisted there is “clearly one big No 10 operation” focused at shoring up support for the Prime Minister.

GB News is reporting that Sir Keir Starmer’s rivals in the Labour Party are so close to taking power that he is “already fighting leadership election”.

The news channel has posted online how Starmer has secretly sworn to crush any attempt by Labour rivals to oust him from Downing Street, as the embattled Prime Minister digs in for a bitter leadership battle.

Bracing for a brutal drubbing in May’s elections, Sir Keir is steeling himself for a tidal wave of pressure to quit in the wake of Chancellor Rachel Reeves‘s tax-raising Budget, set to be unleashed on November 26.

Insiders say furious critics accusing the Prime Minister’s inner circle of cranking up a vicious briefing war against his potential successors.

The explosive claims come just months after Downing Street was rocked by allegations of a “toxic” culture, as Sir Keir’s team was accused of unleashing a series of brutal attacks on senior figures like Angela Rayner, Lucy Powell and Lisa Nandy.

But Sir Keir’s loyal lieutenants have told The Times that the defiant Prime Minister will refuse to quit if Labour MPs try to topple him, vowing to take on all-comers in any leadership contest.

The Prime Minister’s backers even claimed he is already in full campaign mode, reaching out to Labour backbenchers as he gears up for the fight of his political life.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood have both found themselves in the firing line, accused of scheming behind the scenes to replace their boss.

As the leadership rumours reach fever pitch, insiders believe Angela Rayner could emerge as the ultimate “kingmaker” in any bloody battle to seize the keys to No10.

Sir Keir Starmer’s Downing Street allies have launched a desperate rearguard action to save the embattled Prime Minister from being booted out of No 10 in the wake of the looming tax-hiking Budget or a crushing defeat in next May’s elections.

Panic has gripped the heart of government as the backlash over the impending tax rises, set to be unleashed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves later this month, threatens to engulf Sir Keir, even before the painful measures have been formally announced.

Labour is also staring down the barrel of a potential bloodbath in the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections, while the party could even lose its iron grip on Birmingham, the UK’s largest local authority, in a devastating blow.

Insiders say there is mounting alarm in No 10 that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is waiting in the wings to seize the top job if Sir Keir is forced to fall on his sword, although Mr Streeting has vehemently denied being part of any plot to oust his boss.

In a frantic bid to shore up the Prime Minister’s position, his loyal lieutenants are arguing that toppling him now would be a “reckless” and “dangerous” move that could send shockwaves through the public finances, pushing up borrowing costs and damaging Britain’s special relationship with key allies like the US.

Click here for the full storyPanic for Keir Starmer as No 10 desperately tries to save PM from plot to oust him

Media Contributor @NicholasLissack has posted via his X account ” Keir Starmer is in serious trouble.” He added, “The Labour civil war is heating up.”

Commentator British Intel has posted via X on how “Sir Keir Starmer has reportedly gone into ‘full bunker mode’ after Labour insiders warned of a leadership challenge ahead of May.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been forced to deny he is plotting to knife Keir Starmer in the back, as the Government descends into chaos.

Rumours about the Prime Minister’s future have reached fever pitch after Downing Street took the extraordinary step of launching a desperate bid to shore up his leadership, amid growing fears he could face the chop.

In a rare intervention, Sir Keir’s allies tried to warn off would-be mutineers, insisting it would be madness to topple the PM now, and making it crystal clear he will fight any attempt to oust him.

But furious critics have accused No10 of retreating into “complete bunker mode” and claimed they have “shot themselves in the face” with the panicked move.

Click here for the full story The new PM? Labour civil war explodes as Wes Streeting singled out in ‘anti-Starmer coup’