'We would have moved' MPs rue missed chance to challenge Starmer

The most dangerous moment of Keir Starmer's premiership came just after lunchtime on Wednesday, when mutiny was the talk of the Commons tea room.

- Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor

Anger is widespread across Labour - but it was at its most palpable among the party's new MPs, as the Conservatives used a humble address (a parliamentary communication to the monarch) to force the disclosure of the vetting documents and communications linked to Peter Mandelson, disgraced by his close association with Jeffrey Epstein.

"At about 2pm yesterday, if someone had pulled the trigger, we would have moved," one 2024 intake MP said yesterday. "No one dared. I think that says a lot."

Another new MP said they had “contempt” for leadership contenders who had not taken their chance. “Sometimes in politics, it’s about leadership. We needed leadership.”

New MPs feel they are being tarnished by the same kind of sleaze that brought down the Tories, when they had believed that the Labour government would end that kind of politics.

"In the tea room during the debate, it was the first time I have heard people openly discussing candidates and challenges, not caring who heard," one Labour source said.

But four MPs from the 2024 intake yesterday told the Guardian they were beginning to believe there was no candidate ready or even brave enough to trigger Starmer's downfall. “If you are not brave enough to be first out of the traps, you don't deserve to be prime minister,” one said.

Angela Rayner's stock is higher after her intervention in the debate that saved the government from defeat over the release of the Mandelson documents.

Wes Streeting has the most MPs willing to take a risk and back him. But both, MPs said, have issues that meant they could not make their move on Wednesday.