Allies try to get ahead of coup plotting as MPs lose faith in promises of change and resets

For an operation that used to pride itself on its political instinct, Keir Starmer's No 10 has been repeatedly caught off-guard.

- Jessica Elgot

There was the plunge in popularity in the immediate aftermath of the winter fuel decision, the collapse in loyalty among Labour MPs that led to the welfare vote catastrophe and the audacity of Andy Burnham's open campaign for the leadership leading up to the Labour party conference.

Now the operation sees threats everywhere and is determined to get ahead, put potential rebels in the spotlight and flush out their rivals. There has been a dedicated mission in recent weeks to smoke out a potential leadership challenge and they have even convinced themselves that one might come as soon as the budget.

The strategy is to show up those who plot potential coups and give MPs pause about where such a dangerous road would lead. MPs are briefed about what an upset it would be for financial markets or how it might destroy relations with the United States if candidates were to veer to the left in order to appeal to the Labour membership.