Labour Leadership Turmoil Deepens as Starmer Vows to ‘Get Rid’ of Aide Behind Streeting Coup Briefings
Key Takeaways:
- Internal Labour tensions erupt ahead of the Budget — Keir Starmer has apologised to Wes Streeting after No 10 aides anonymously briefed that he was plotting a coup, sparking a leadership row.
- Ed Miliband signals decisive action — The energy secretary said Starmer will “get rid” of the aide responsible for the leaks if identified, calling the briefing “bad” and urging the party to refocus.
- Economic backdrop adds pressure — With growth slowing to 0.1% in the last quarter due partly to the JLR cyber attack, concerns about stability are heightening ahead of Rachel Reeves’s 26 November Budget.
With less than two weeks until Rachel Reeves delivers her pivotal 26 November Budget, the Labour government has been plunged into an unwelcome internal dispute. Accusations, anonymous briefings, and demands for discipline have revived questions about party unity at a moment when ministers had hoped to project stability and focus on economic recovery.
The row erupted after a series of anonymous briefings from No 10 suggested health secretary Wes Streeting was plotting a coup against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The claims—described as “self-defeating” by Streeting—sparked a rapid backlash within the party, and the prime minister has since issued a personal apology to quell the fallout.
But with the source of the leaks still unidentified, and with senior figures now weighing in publicly, the dispute is shaping up to be the most significant leadership wobble since Labour entered government.
A Leadership Row the Government Did Not Need
The drama began when journalists reported receiving briefings from Downing Street staff alleging that Streeting had ambitions on the top job and was quietly building support within the party. While factional tension is not unusual around Westminster, the suggestion that No 10 aides were fuelling internal suspicion rather than shutting it down alarmed MPs who had expected a firm shift toward professionalism after years of Tory infighting.
Starmer quickly moved to contain the situation. According to sources familiar with the exchange, the prime minister apologised directly to Streeting, stressing that the comments did not reflect his view and were not authorised.
But the damage was done. By the following morning, the dispute was dominating political coverage, overshadowing Labour’s efforts to prepare the country for a difficult economic statement from Reeves.
Miliband Intervenes: ‘If He Finds the Person, He’ll Get Rid of Them’
Energy secretary Ed Miliband—himself a former Labour leader with firsthand experience of internal briefing wars—became the party’s most prominent voice on the issue when he addressed the row live on Sky News.
Asked how Starmer planned to respond, Miliband was unequivocal:
“If he finds the person, he’ll get rid of them, and I absolutely believe he would do that.”
He described the anonymous briefings as “bad, no question,” adding that they had actively harmed the party’s wider mission.
But perhaps his strongest message was directed at Labour MPs themselves:
“We need to focus on the country, not ourselves.”
The warning captured the frustration among senior figures that the party’s first months in office have already been punctuated by internal noise—something Labour strategists fear could undermine public confidence at a time when the government is preparing voters for “tough choices” in Reeves’s Budget.
Streeting’s Position and the Unwanted Spotlight
For Streeting, the episode has been an unwelcome distraction from his portfolio at the Department of Health and Social Care. The health secretary has long been viewed as one of Labour’s most ambitious and electorally polished figures, but he moved swiftly to reject suggestions of leadership manoeuvring.
He described the anonymous briefings as “self-defeating,” arguing that they risked damaging the party’s credibility at a time when voters expect competence, unity, and seriousness.
Streeting’s allies privately noted that he had publicly backed Starmer during difficult periods of the election campaign, and that he has shown no interest in destabilising the leadership. One aide dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous gossip,” while another emphasised that Streeting’s focus is on NHS reform, not internal politics.
Why This Moment Matters: Pre-Budget Tension
The timing of the row has raised eyebrows. Starmer and Reeves are preparing to deliver the most politically sensitive fiscal event since taking office: the 26 November Budget, where tax rises are now widely expected to plug a multi-billion-pound gap in the public finances.
Reeves has repeatedly warned of the “terrible inheritance” left by the previous government, citing high borrowing costs, stagnant growth, and structural weaknesses across public services. While Labour campaigned on a pledge of stability and prudence, ministers are now grappling with the reality that their fiscal room for manoeuvre is far tighter than expected.
Against this backdrop, any hint of instability—real or perceived—risks undermining the government’s message that it can steer the economy through a period of slow growth and rising pressure on public spending.
The Economic Backdrop: Growth Nearly Stalls
On the same day the leadership row intensified, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released figures showing the UK economy grew by just 0.1% in the three months to September.
This is a sharp slowdown from the 0.3% expansion recorded in the previous quarter, and a reminder of the fragility of Britain’s post-pandemic recovery.
ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown linked part of the slowdown to the cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which disrupted manufacturing output and weighed on the wider industrial sector. But even without the cyber incident, growth remains muted across construction, retail, and business investment.
Economists note that this leaves Reeves in a difficult position: the government must stabilise the public finances while avoiding measures that further depress weak growth. This delicate balancing act explains why internal unity and message discipline are considered essential—and why the Streeting briefing controversy has caused such frustration inside Labour HQ.
The Hunt for the Leaker
While Starmer has promised to take action once the culprit is identified, finding the aide responsible may prove difficult. Anonymous briefings are a long-standing feature of Westminster’s political culture, often delivered through informal conversations, encrypted messaging apps, or off-the-record chats with journalists.
Downing Street has reportedly tightened protocols following the incident, but insiders suggest the search may ultimately rely on informal pressure rather than a formal investigation.
Senior figures around Starmer have been quick to insist that the prime minister never authorised such comments and is personally angered that the row has undermined the party’s unity narrative. One insider described him as “furious” about the damage done so close to the Budget.
Wider Implications: Is Labour Showing Cracks or Simply Teething Problems?
Since the election, Labour has enjoyed a period of relative calm compared with the last years of Conservative rule, marked by ministerial reshuffles, scandals, and economic turbulence. But analysts caution that the party is not immune to internal tensions.
Several factors make the current moment particularly sensitive:
1. Labour’s Big Tent Coalition
Labour’s majority is broad, bringing together centrist technocrats, soft-left reformers, and veteran progressives. Managing expectations across factions requires constant discipline.
2. Streeting’s Rising Profile
A popular figure with media-friendly instincts, Streeting may inadvertently attract suspicion simply by virtue of his visibility.
3. Pressure of Government
The shift from opposition to governing inevitably exposes internal differences, especially under fiscal constraints.
4. Budget Expectations
As Reeves signals that tax rises are now on the table, some in the party fear voter backlash and are nervous about political positioning.
Despite these pressures, political analysts note that this row is still minor compared with the leadership battles that have plagued previous governments. But it is an early reminder that unity is both fragile and politically essential.
Starmer’s Challenge: Reassert Control and Reset the Story
For Starmer, the top priority is to re-establish message discipline and shift public focus back to government priorities. The Budget will offer the chance to do so—if the leadership can present a credible, united front.
The prime minister’s allies insist that the response to the leak shows he is willing to act decisively. “Keir is not someone who tolerates briefing against colleagues,” one senior official said. “He expects professionalism, especially now we’re in government.”
The coming days will be crucial. If the row fizzles out and attention returns to policy, the incident will be remembered as a brief misstep. If new leaks emerge—or if the Budget proves more politically painful than expected—this could be seen as the first crack in Labour’s unity armour.
A Government Under Pressure but Still in Control
Despite the noise, Labour remains firmly in command of the political landscape. Polls show broad public support for Starmer’s leadership, and Reeves is widely perceived as a steady hand ahead of a difficult fiscal statement.
But the Streeting episode is a timely reminder of the political risks that come with power. Anonymous briefings, rival ambitions, and internal anxieties can quickly become national headlines. The government will now be eager to demonstrate discipline, unity, and a renewed focus on economic delivery.
As Ed Miliband said:
“We need to focus on the country, not ourselves.”
For a government preparing to make difficult decisions, that message has never been more relevant.
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