The Number 10 spokesman has refused to confirm Wes Streeting will continue as Health Secretary until the next election. Asked at the Lobby briefing of political journalists, the spokesman simply said he “would not go through the Cabinet on that“. Although he did say the Prime Minister still retains confidence in a man who thinks the government “has no growth plan“, but wouldn’t go any further. There’s the kiss of death…
As for Streeting upsetting the Met by releasing his WhatsApp messages to Mandelson last night, the spokesman said “we’ve been clear throughout that we are working with the Met, you’ve got the Met’s statement this morning“. A statement which warns “it is vital due process is followed” and no other Cabinet minister gets any bright ideas. The government’s position hasn’t changed for a few weeks apparently, even though a leading member of that government went rogue last night…
Hacks pointed out Number 10 had previously committed to retaining Rachel Reeves as Chancellor for the full Parliamentary term. David Lammy received the same guarantee when he was Foreign Secretary shortly before being demoted moved to the Justice brief. As Guido reported this morning, there were jittery plans within Number 10 overnight to sack Streeting to reassert Starmer’s authority…
Speaking about Morgan McSweeney’s resignation, skills minister Jacqui Smith told Times Radio:
“It’s clearly not ideal but I do understand why Morgan, as he explained, decided to resign at this point. But the important thing as you say is how we both tackle what this Epstein and Mandelson scandal has identified and also how we make sure, as the prime minister is absolutely determined to, that we continue the change that the country needs and that’s what I’m focusing on this morning.”