DESPERATE PM 'IN OFFICE BUT NOT IN POWER'

SIR Keir Starmer was accused of being “in office, but not in power” as the pound plummeted amid speculation over his future.

- - MARTYN BROWN Political Editor

Health Secretary Wes Streeting attacked a “toxic” culture at No10 as he was forced to deny he was planning a coup against the Prime Minister - the second such alleged plot in as many months.

Sir Keir was under pressure to oust his chief of staff as the humiliating saga, less than a fortnight before a crunch Budget, left the PM severely weakened after a disastrous 15 months in Downing Street.

Tory chief Kemi Badenoch said: “The PM has shown he is in office, but not in power. He's lost control of his government. He's lost the confidence of the Labour Party. And he's lost the trust of the British people.”

The pound dropped to its lowest level in over two years amid the continuing uncertainty.

At Prime Minister's Questions yesterday Sir Keir was forced to condemn attacks on Mr Streeting over the alleged plot.

The PM told the Commons that his Cabinet is "united", that the Health Secretary "is doing a great job", and that he had "never authorised attacks" on Cabinet ministers.

He said: "Any attack on any member of my Cabinet is completely unacceptable." But Mr Streeting's criticism of the No 10 operation focused fresh attention on Morgan McSweeney, the mastermind of Labour's 2024 election success.

At PMQs yesterday Mrs Badenoch said "the Government has descended into a civil war" and asked Sir Keir to say whether he still had full confidence in Mr McSweeney.