Key points: Anonymous briefings suggested Sir Keir Starmer would resist removal and hinted at plotting by ministers such as Wes Streeting. Streeting denied the claims, demanded the leakers be sacked and later received an apology from the prime minister in a brief phone call. Attention has focused on chief of staff Morgan McSweeney as No.10 investigates its handling of the episode. Unless Labour tackles its broader unpopularity, internal tensions of this kind are likely to reappear.
Starmer's Chaotic 24 Hours: Leaks, Denials and Pressure on No.10
Key points: Anonymous briefings suggested Sir Keir Starmer would resist removal and hinted at plotting by ministers such as Wes Streeting. Streeting denied the claims, demanded the leakers be sacked and later received an apology from the prime minister in a brief phone call. Attention has focused on chief of staff Morgan McSweeney as No.10 investigates its handling of the episode. Unless Labour tackles its broader unpopularity, internal tensions of this kind are likely to reappear.
04:08 PM, 11/13/2025Politics
"It has not been our best 24 hours"
A senior government figure conceded the obvious after a day of public and private mudslinging: the Labour government endured a fraught 24 hours that exposed tensions at the heart of Downing Street.
Anonymous briefings spark the row
The episode began with anonymous briefings to journalists — including the author — claiming Sir Keir Starmer would resist any attempt to remove him and hinting that some cabinet ministers, notably Health Secretary Wes Streeting, were preparing challenges. The briefings quickly generated intense coverage and a flurry of questions about who authorised them.
Streeting rejects the claims and demands action
Streeting publicly denied plotting against the prime minister, reaffirmed his loyalty and demanded that whoever briefed journalists be sacked. The prime minister also said attacks on his ministers were "unacceptable." That did little to stop speculation about whether the initial briefings were sanctioned by allies of the PM or represented a rogue operation.
A conciliatory phone call — but tensions remain
Sir Keir and Mr Streeting spoke on the phone on Wednesday evening to try to patch things up. I am told Sir Keir apologised during the short call and they agreed to hold a more detailed discussion "soon." The call, however, did not address Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister's chief of staff, who has emerged as a focal point for criticism.
McSweeney is widely credited with Labour's election strategy and with helping Sir Keir's rapid rise. But when Downing Street is perceived to have misstepped, critics often look to him first.
No.10's two misjudgements
From the No.10 perspective two factors went wrong: volume and emphasis. They appear to have under-estimated how loudly the briefings would resonate — and they did not expect the story to center so heavily on Wes Streeting, whose pre-arranged interviews amplified the coverage. Some inside and outside parliament even concluded the focus on Streeting may have been intended.
Backbench frustration and wider implications
Ministers insist lessons are being learned, while many backbenchers are irritated by what they see as an unnecessary spectacle they must defend. The episode underlines two enduring problems: low public approval for the government and limited personal popularity for the prime minister. Unless Labour can address those deeper vulnerabilities, similar internal tensions are likely to recur despite a large parliamentary majority.
What happens next: No.10 is investigating the source of the briefings and calls for a leak inquiry have been mooted. Pressure on senior figures in Downing Street, including the chief of staff, is likely to continue as the party seeks to steady itself.