𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Wes Streeting’s allies in Parliament are reportedly plotting a coup against Keir Starmer that would see the Health Secretary installed without a contest. MPs have spoken out about the need to replace Sir Keir following next May’s local elections, which are widely expected to be a bloodbath for the Labour Party.

This evening, reports have emerged that Mr Streeting’s allies want to install him in a Gordon Brown-style ‘coronation’, which would avoid an election involving party members. One MP warned that the party must not turn radically to the left and abandon its manifesto that saw them win a landslide majority last year, as they wouldn’t have a mandate for such a change of direction. This evening they briefed: “Having someone from a similar tradition as Keir who can say they’ll stick to the manifesto will help resist the inevitable calls for a general election.

“Changing leader and massively altering our policies, as people like Angela seem to want, would undermine the platform we all stood on in 2024. It needs to be a coronation.”

Another told The Times: “Wes is the best option to bring the party together. It’s not about what he’d do differently to Keir, the agendas would be quite similar.

“It’s about what he wouldn’t do. He wouldn’t have done winter fuel, would have reacted quicker to grooming gangs and would have handled benefit cuts better.”

The latest threat of a plot to topple Keir Starmer comes shortly after a brutal briefing war against the Health Secretary by Downing Street and allies of the Prime Minister, who warned he would not go quietly in the face of an attempt to oust him.

A minister warned: “It’s a problem of No 10’s own making. By briefing against Wes and saying Keir would fight any leadership challenge, they’ve forced colleagues to reconcile themselves with a question they had until that point been ducking.

“The hard left just want to look inward and have an endless debate within the party about who should come next. But with Wes, he’s got the judgment and political appetite to get stuck into the issues most affecting the country.”

Mr Streeting was among the Cabinet Ministers identified as potential conspirators against the PM, with fears in No10 that Mr Starmer could face some sort of challenge following the Budget on 26 November.

The Health Secretary’s spokesperson was obliged to issue an extraordinary denial tonight, asserting the allegations were “categorically untrue”.

“Wes’s focus has entirely been on reducing waiting lists for the first time in 15 years, recruiting an additional 2,500 GPs, and rebuilding the NHS that saved his life.”

The finger of blame for the botched briefings fell on Sir Keir’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, sparking renewed calls for him to be sacked.

Multiple cabinet ministers, including Mr Streeting, said the person behind the briefings should lose their jobs.

This evening a spokesman for Mr Streeting said: “These anonymous sources don’t speak for Wes.

“Since the briefings against him, Wes has announced another cut in waiting lists, delivered more appointments during strike action than ever before, launched the country’s first ever men’s health strategy to tackle suicide and frozen prescription charges. This is a man totally focused on rebuilding the NHS.”