Chaos in Downing Street as ‘plot’ revealed to ‘dethrone’ Prime Minister Starmer

Fresh political crises engulf Downing Street as disputes, resignations and strategic uncertainties multiply.

- ANTONIA FILMER

Bizarre events at NolO Downing Street, this week “senior Downing Street aides” briefed selected news outlets against a leadership plot by Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, and his allies to dethrone the Prime Minister. Instead of protecting Keir Starmer and shoring up support as expected, the briefing exposed the vulnerabilities of the most unpopular PM on record; the unintended consequence is that a coup is now a risk. All involved deny everything.

The PM says the calls cannot have come from NolO, that his team is united and he will fight any challenge, but whose idea this was remains a mystery. Streeting was already scheduled to appear on several platforms the following day and on all these he was articulate and charming in his denials and loyalty to the PM, he demanded accountability. The net result is that NolO appears chaotic, dysfunctional and divided, and folks are pointing the finger at Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney; the PM conducted a brief investigation and it seems anyone who may have been involved is exonerated. However this is not what the PM needed two weeks before what is predicted to be a hard hitting budget for anyone who earns over £ASK. It has also exposed the others with prime ministerial ambitions, John Healy, Shabana Mahmood, Ed Miliband and inpite of denials no one is ruling out Wes Streeting.