PM's fiscal power grab has left Reeves a lame duck Chancellor

Starmer brings in own experts to handle Budget

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towards disaster in next year's Scottish, Welsh and local elections - with voters still appalled by the Chancellor scrapping winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners last year.

A Labour MP claimed the situation is so serious Sir Keir could be gone by the end of the year, saying: "I think Starmer is on the brink. It's very, very serious. He's one more mistake away from having to go. I think he is in the danger zone.

"The only hope of holding on to Wales or regaining power in Scotland is by changing him. He is that much of an electoral liability."

The Government is reeling from the resignation of Deputy PM Angela Rayner and the sacking of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador.

Confidence in the PM took another blow when it emerged Downing Street officials were aware of supportive emails between Lord Mandelson and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when Sir Keir defended the peer during PMQs.

He is understood not to have known about the

'He's in panic mode and has sidelined her'

contents of the emails until Wednesday evening.

Backbench Labour MP Olivia Blake said it feels like Sir Keir's operation has "gone into the bunker". She added it is "really embarrassing" if he was told about the emails too late.