Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologized to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, as the British premier tried to contain the fallout from allegations by his allies of cabinet plots against his leadership.
Starmer made his apology late Wednesday in a brief phone conversation with Streeting, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing private conversations. The prime minister earlier told the House of Commons that he hadn’t personally authorized media briefings against a cabinet minister, calling any such attack “completely unacceptable.”
Starmer also told Parliament that he believed Streeting was “doing a great job.”
Streeting — one of the best-known members of Starmer’s cabinet — denied plotting to get rid of his boss. While the health secretary professed his loyalty to the prime minister in a series of broadcast interviews, he accused Downing Street aides of mounting a “totally self-defeating” campaign against him.
Labour Party chair Anna Turley told ITV that she had spoken to Starmer and that he would be holding an investigation into who briefed the criticism of Streeting. “He’s going to take action to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Turley said.
The leadership worries spilled into the open late Tuesday when Starmer supporters briefed journalists that they believed Streeting was plotting to replace him as Labour leader. The move shattered the illusion of cabinet unity weeks ahead of a contentious budget and renewed private calls for Starmer to fire top aides, including his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.
Starmer pointedly passed up an opportunity to express support for McSweeney under questioning by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. “Morgan McSweeney, my team and I are absolutely focused on delivering for the country,” Starmer said, although a press secretary later clarified that the premier did have confidence in his top aide.
Badenoch said that Starmer appeared to have lost control of his office. “The real scandal is that, two weeks from a budget, the government has descended into civil war,” she said.
