Keir Starmer Says No 10 Briefings Against Wes Streeting Are "Completely Unacceptable”
2 min read
Keir Starmer has said any attack on his Cabinet "is completely unacceptable” and come to the defence of Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The Prime Minister was addressing briefings by unnamed No 10 sources on Tuesday evening, which accused Streeting of planning to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership.
The sources quoted last night said the PM would fight any leadership challenges against him and that replacing him would create panic in the bond markets.
At PMQs, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch asked Starmer whether Streeting was right to describe Downing Street as “toxic” on Wednesday morning.
Streeting also said the Downing Street aides responsible for the briefings should be sacked.
Responding to Badenoch, Starmer condemned the anonymous attacks and said they were not authorised by him.
“My focus each and every day is on rebuilding and renewing our country," he told the House of Commons.
"But let me be absolutely clear: any attack on any member of my Cabinet is completely unacceptable."
On Streeting, who was not at PMQs owing to giving a speech in Manchester, Starmer said: "He promised before the election that in the first year of a Labour government we’d deliver two million extra appointments. We didn’t deliver two million or three or four; we delivered five million extra appointments.”
Badenoch also asked Starmer whether he had full confidence in his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, whose role in Downing Street has come under renewed pressure over the briefings on Thursday night.
“Morgan McSweeney, my team and I are fully focused on delivering for the country," he said.
The PM continued: “I’ve never authorised attacks on Cabinet ministers. I’ve appointed them to their posts because they’re the best people to carry out their jobs.”
Labour MPs have expressed dismay at the briefings, telling PoliticsHome that they have actually strengthened Streeting's position, not damaged it.
