Main Points
- UK prime minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer met health secretary Wes Streeting, who appears poised to challenge him, this morning
- The Downing Street meeting came ahead of a planned speech to parliament by King Charles
- Starmer’s position has become increasingly tenuous since Labour’s hammering in elections across Britain last week, with close to 90 party MPs calling on the PM to step down
- A day of drama at Westminster yesterday saw the resignation of four junior ministers from Starmer’s government
Best Reads
Jade Wilson – 3 minutes ago
SNP plans to hold no confidence vote in Starmer
The SNP has said that it will table an amendment to the king’s speech proposing no confidence in Starmer.
Dave Doogan, the new SNP leader at Westminster, said: “This farce has to end now, so parliament can focus on the issues that really matter. It’s clear the only way that can happen is for Keir Starmer to go.”
“He has lost the confidence of voters and his own MPs, and there’s no coming back from that. The Labour party must stop dragging this crisis out and put an end to it now. If the Labour cabinet ministers don’t have the decency to do the right thing – then parliament must.“
“Unless they put an end to this chaos now, the SNP will table a motion of no confidence in Keir Starmer to draw things to a close,” he added.
Streeting leaves No 10 after talks with Starmer last just 16 minutes
Starmer met with Wes Streeting, the health secretary who wants to replace him, this morning.
Yesterday Starmer in effect challenged Streeting to ‘put up or shut up’ and, although some of Streeting’s allies have resigned from ministerial jobs, and others have joined the long list of Labour MPs publicly calling for Starmer’s resignation, by last night Streeting had still not launched a formal leadership challenge.
Streeting arrived for the meeting at Downing Street at 8.24am. He was out again 16 minutes later.
Streeting allies have indicated that they don’t intend to brief on what happened until the king’s speech is over.
But it does not seem likely that a meeting that swift was cordial. What we don’t know is whether or not Streeting said he would launch a leadership challenge.
As Wes Streeting left No 10, reporters shouted questions at him, asking if he had resigned. He did not reply.
Jade Wilson – 2 hours ago
Labour-supporting unions predict Starmer will not lead party into next election
Labour-supporting unions have predicted Starmer will not lead the party into the next election, in an intervention that threatens to further destabilise the UK prime minister after a damaging few days.
The 11 Labour-affiliated unions – which include Unite, Unison and the GMB – are expected to issue a joint statement on Wednesday saying “at some stage” the party will have to put a plan in place to elect a new leader.
In a leaked copy of the statement, reported by The Guardian, the unions said it was clear to them that Labour “cannot continue on its current path”, and despite some progress it was not doing enough to deliver the change people voted for at the last election.
They urged the party leadership to focus on the “fundamental change of direction on economic policy and political strategy” they said working people needed, rather than the “personalities and unfolding political drama” at Westminster.
Jade Wilson – 4 hours ago
King’s speech promises pomp, ceremony and some drama
The king’s speech today continues a long British tradition but it comes in surreal circumstances.
After travelling to parliament and donning the robe of state, Charles, will read a speech written by Starmer’s government setting out the planned new laws.
A package of more than 35 Bills and draft Bills will focus on measures to improve the economy, strengthen national security and “reform the state to support a more active government that is on the side of British people”, the government said.
But the implementation of that speech remains as uncertain as Starmer’s political future. If he were to be ousted, his successor would not be bound to follow the same plan.
After spending much of Tuesday behind closed doors at his Downing Street office as he sought to rally support, Wednesday’s ceremony will put Starmer’s struggle for power back in public view.
Under the gaze of television cameras and alongside leaders of rival parties, Starmer will walk in a procession of lawmakers from parliament’s lower house to its upper house, where the king will then speak.
Starmer will later deliver a speech in a parliamentary debate that is likely to be used by rivals to ridicule his position as a leader with badly damaged authority presenting an agenda that he may never get to deliver. – Reuters
Jade Wilson – 4 hours ago
Labour try to show some unity as king visits parliament
Keir Starmer vowed to fight on at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting and was publicly backed by several ministers at the top of British government, including his deputy, David Lammy, who urged colleagues to “step back and take a breath”.
Starmer told his cabinet the country “expects us to get on with governing” and “that is what I am doing”, but avoided being directly challenged as he declined to discuss his leadership during the gathering or meet critics individually afterwards, the Press Association has reported.
Starmer said he would only speak to ministers one-to-one about his fate, but did not do so once cabinet concluded, according to sources.
Efforts appear to be under way to present a united face – at least for today – when Britain’s king Charles will be in Westminster for the traditional king’s speech. Politico reported that Buckingham Palace had privately told Number 10 they do not want the king to be dragged into the conversation.
Britain’s king, Charles III, delivering the speech opening parliament in 2023. He will be back in Westminster today. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty
The importance of protecting Charles from the impression he is being used for political ends was stressed to Starmer’s officials, a person familiar with the matter told the political news outlet. – PA
Jade Wilson – 4 hours ago
Starmer set for showdown with leadership rival Wes Streeting
UK prime minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer is set for crunch talks with health secretary Wes Streeting, who appears poised to challenge him, Mark Paul writes ahead of another day of drama at Westminster.
Streeting, whose allies in Labour’s parliamentary party have spent days calling on Starmer to step down, is expected to meet Starmer in Downing Street on Wednesday morning in advance of a planned speech to parliament by British king Charles.
The health secretary, as first revealed on Tuesday night by The Times, will confront Starmer about how he plans to get Britain out of the “mess” enveloping its politics. It is unclear whether Streeting will resign from his post, or ask Starmer to quit.
British health secretary Wes Streeting. Photograph: James Manning/Getty
Starmer’s position has become increasingly tenuous since Labour’s hammering in elections across Britain last week. At last count on Tuesday evening, close to 90 Labour MPs had called on the prime minister to quit or set a timetable for his departure.