Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signalled that he will fight any attempt by Labour MPs to oust him, as tensions grow inside Downing Street ahead of the upcoming Budget.
Allies of the prime minister insist he will not step aside quietly if rebels push for a leadership challenge, amid speculation that several cabinet figures are being discussed as potential successors.
Names circulating among MPs include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband — as well as backbenchers such as former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh. Those close to the prime minister believe such talk risks destabilising the government at a critical moment.
Starmer’s supporters argue that “he will fight this,” drawing comparisons to Labour’s shock Hartlepool by-election loss in 2021, when Starmer briefly considered resigning as party leader. “This is not a Hartlepool moment,” one minister said. “It would be madness to run against the man who led Labour back to power.”
Yet Starmer faces dismal polling numbers, with surveys suggesting he is one of the most unpopular prime ministers in modern history. Labour’s overall support has also slipped, with some polls showing the party backed by only about 20 percent of voters.
Critics within Labour accuse Downing Street of operating in “full bunker mode” and turning on its own team. Streeting dismissed suggestions of a leadership bid as “self-defeating nonsense,” but admitted that the toxic atmosphere at No 10 “needs to change.”
A leadership challenge would require nominations from 20 percent of Labour MPs — around 81 signatures — making any move complex. But some MPs fear waiting until next May’s local elections could be disastrous if Labour continues to struggle.
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Senior Labour sources say the Budget could be a flashpoint. “If Wes is brave and moves, he could be prime minister by Christmas,” one MP claimed. Others warn such plotting could mirror the chaos that destroyed the Conservatives last year.
Starmer’s allies are urging unity, warning that another leadership contest could unsettle markets, strain ties with Washington, and open the door for Reform UK and Nigel Farage to surge further.
Still, unease lingers. “It’s terrible,” one minister admitted. “He’s hated out there. I don’t see how this is sustainable until May.”