𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Sir Keir Starmer has held talks over the furious briefing war which erupted earlier this week from No10 Downing Street.

The Prime Minister told his senior team that attacks on cabinet ministers are “completley unacceptable”.

His spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has, this morning, gathered and spoken to his senior team in Darwin Street. “The Prime Minister reiterated the briefings against cabinet ministers are completely unacceptable, which has always been his position, underlined, as he told parliament yesterday, that he has never, would never sanction any such briefings against colleagues. “The PM said he had been assured that no number 10 staff briefed against ministers.

“The Prime Minister made abundantly clear the high standards that he expects from his staff, and if anyone falls below those standards, there will be consequences.”

The Prime Minister is understood to have stopped short of launching an inquiry into the briefings which gripped Westminster on Tuesday night.

The Health Secretary criticised the “toxic” culture in Downing Street following anonymous briefings accusing him of plotting to unseat Sir Keir Starmer.

Sir Keir’s spokesman said: “As I say, the Prime Minister reiterated this morning, speaking to his senior team and his briefings are completely unacceptable. It’s been assured that no number 10 staff briefed against ministers and made abundantly clear high standards that he expects from staff.

“If anyone falls below these standards, there will be consequences.”

Asked about an apology he received from Sir Keir, Mr Streeting told broadcasters: “One of the great things about being here in the North West today is you can leave all that silly Westminster soap opera stuff behind.”

He would not be drawn into discussing the future of No 10 chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who has been blamed by some within Labour for the fallout from the apparent ploy to warn off potential leadership contenders.

Asked about Sir Keir’s powerful aide directly, Mr Streeting replied: “I’m sure that Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer and everyone else is absolutely delighted with the news today that NHS waiting lists are falling.”