Starmer told the Commons at PMQs: “I never authorised attacks on Cabinet Ministers.“ After lavishing praise on Wes Streeting…
When prompted by Badenoch he declined to say the words “I have full confidence in Morgan McSweeney.” Phew, that would have been the kiss of death…
Badenoch taunted Starmer over the briefings last night that there would be a “market meltdown.” To huge jeers he said:
“This is a united team… five interest rate cuts, trade deals with the EU…”
Streeting has urged Starmer to sack the official responsible for co-ordinating the briefing attack against him. Give it a few weeks and relentless media fails, that normally does it…
Downing Street is already trying to shove the genie back in the bottle after last night’s preemptive attack on Wes Streeting. The Starmer camp have now briefed Robert Peston that they were “not deliberately stirring things up” and were only “reactively responding” to hacks’ questions about an “unspecified coup“. Although they hasten to add that Starmer absolutely would fight any leadership challenge, for the avoidance of doubt…
Fingers are pointing once again at Morgan McSweeney. As Guido revealed last night, the briefing was hastened by fears of a plot against Starmer while he was clocking up his air miles, with Streeting seen to be straying increasingly beyond his own brief. Now that Streeting has dodged the boobytraps laid on his media round, Number 10 is on the back foot once again and attempting damage control this morning. It should make for a fun PMQs. And you thought Lammy’s effort last week was entertaining…
After last night’s hijinks Wes Streeting has angrily denied briefings that he is getting ready to launch a leadership challenge, calling it a “totally irrelevant process story” and “totally self-defeating briefing.” 14 days until the Budget…
Good morning!
Really looking forward to setting out our plans to modernise the NHS and reinvest billions saved from cutting bureaucracy into the frontline so we can cut waiting lists!
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) November 12, 2025
Streeting insisted on Sky News that Starmer is “fighting for the country.” He added of the briefings: “At least they’re picking on one of the boys now.” Blimey…
Asked if he has had “any conversations with anyone about getting rid of Keir Starmer,” Streeting said: “No.” He added: “I’m not going in to demand the Prime Minister’s resignation.” Slightly curious language…
He said he was “irritated” and that Starmer critic Lucy Powell has been vindicated:
“When Lucy Powell stood to be Deputy leader and said there needs to be a culture change in how we and how the party is managed – I think she has been vindicated.”
One more quote: “Going out and calling your Labour MPs ‘feral’ is not very helpful.” Happy families are all alike…
There is significant disquiet among some senior figures in Downing Street over the Winter Budget. Because it’s not just Reeves on the line…
One Downing Street source tells Guido: “It’s now the PM’s budget too.” Co-conspirators may remember No10 ‘beefing up’ its economic credentials and control over the Treasury with a series of strategic hires. They include Minouche Shafik as Starmer’s personal economic adviser, Darren Jones (previously Chief Treasury Secretary) as Starmer’s personal SpAd/minister, and Dan Yorke-Smith, hired from the Treasury to be Starmer’s PPS. The effect of this is to tie the fates of Reeves and Starmer together ahead of the Budget. A source says “our hands are well and truly dipped”…
Aggressive pitch-rolling from Reeves has gone down badly, especially yesterday’s bizarre here-come-the-taxes speech. There is “lots of anxiety about how it will land.” A senior government source tells Guido “the PLP has spent the new headroom several times over already and so have some of the SpAds.”
A Downing Street insider adds: “Some of us think it won’t work. Showing real progress in time for May is obviously now out, so we get clobbered then, and then lose momentum – as well as a Chancellor and a PM.” Game over…
The Times picks up on rumours that Ed Miliband is a viable replacement for Starmer come the PM’s defenestration. As Guido reported back in September the Energy Secretary went on major manoeuvres after the PM tried and failed to remove him from post at the Phase 2 reshuffle. He is blamed by senior figures in Labour for a series of inflammatory briefings whose aim is to undermine Starmer. No surprise then that with Keir’s possible end on the horizon someone has decided to start whispering Miliband’s name in hacks’ ears…
Guido has been closely following the activity of Starmer’s new communications director Tim Allan since he entered Downing Street. The only problem is – there hasn’t been much…
Apart from giving a bizarre and poorly-received session at ‘SpAd School’ last month in which he said “I haven’t arrived with a plan” Allan has kept his interactions to a minimum. Maybe he’s embarrassed after that episode…
Guido has checked in across government departments and found that Allan has kept mostly out of touch. He’s been in the job for a month and a half…
Gossip from Downing Street sources confirms he is taking a more overarching approach to communications and crisis management. His meetings schedule is said to be moving at a less-than-sluggish pace. Guido revealed two weeks ago that the intention was not to replace day-to-day communications director Steph Driver, which makes Allan’s friendly ghost routine more bizarre. How many shake-ups does it take to fix a government?
Big changes are taking place in the Downing Street Policy Unit right now. Which phase is that now…
Recent additions include Leo Rees on the DSIT brief, a data wonk who for three years worked under the auspices of Will Tanner at Tory-affiliated think tank Onward, only departing in 2022. Labourites can make up their own minds as to how that is going to go…
Staff who made up the LOTO policy unit responsible for writing the Labour manifesto – most of whom remaining are now women – are on the way out. Replacements are ongoing currently…
The policy unit greases the wheels between No10 and ministers. Received wisdom is that you need SpAds in there who understand the political dynamics, have clout, and can operate decisively…
Government sources say there is no intention currently to replace Steph Driver, who departed as Starmer’s director of day-to-day communications last month. Instead the communications team will be bolstered by a new more junior media SpAd who will work the majority of the time under Press Secretary Sophie Nazemi.
The shake-up comes in a period of low morale in Downing Street and wider government. Exits continue, of the voluntary and involuntary varieties…
UPDATE: Some changes now being briefed out:
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”