Pack in the puppet show

PRESSURE Anas Sarwar is fighting election next year

- BY JOHN FERGUSON

KEIR Starmer and "puppet master" chief of staff Morgan McSweeney must go to give Labour a chance of winning May's Scottish election, a senior party figure has said.

It comes after a week of chaos in which No10 was forced to deny it had briefed against Cabinet ministers while vowing the PM would fight any leadership challenge.

The embarrassing episode stemmed from reports Health Secretary Wes Streeting was plotting a leadership bid amid plunging opinion polls.

Meanwhile to add to the atmosphere of confusion, Chancellor Rachel Reeves appears to have backed away from income tax rises in the budget which were under consideration just days ago.

One senior politician told the Sunday Mail: "Mature sensible government was supposed to be the key feature of this Labour administration after years of Tory chaos, but that isn't remotely what this feels like and it is incredibly damaging.

"It should be clear to anyone that Starmer just isn't the man for the job but it is also clear that the problems at No10 do not end with the Prime Minister.

"Both the puppet and the puppet master Morgan McSweeney need to go if we want a fresh start and to shake off this toxic atmosphere. McSweeney is very good at negative briefings and killing off anyone he sees as a threat, but he unfortunately has little to offer beyond that in terms of vision for the country.

"Most MPs are privately saying they think Starmer will be forced to resign or face a leadership challenge after the Scottish election and local elections in England in May.