Wes Streeting squirmed today as Keir Starmer jibed at his coup attempt in the House of Commons.
The Health Secretary raised his eyebrows awkwardly as the PM used his King’s Speech response to make a gag about people assembling ‘lists of MPs’.
That was a reference to the rolling tally of backbenchers calling for his resignation – now well over 90.
The surreal exchange came with Mr Streeting poised to pull the pin on the Labour leadership grenade by quitting tomorrow to launch a challenge.
However, he was still on the Government front bench this afternoon for the Commons debate. Mr Streeting seemed to be getting the cold shoulder from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson as he tried to strike up conversation.
Sir Keir begged MPs not to ‘sink into the politics of division’ as he unveiled the new legislative programme.
But questions are raging over whether he will stay in No 10 long enough to implement the measures.
Mr Streeting’s bid to unseat the premier is ramping up after they had a brutally short 16-minute meeting in No10 this morning.
A senior Government source told the Daily Mail: ‘Yes, it’s happening. Wes is definitely going for it.’
Another Labour aide said: ‘I don’t see how they can not after all this briefing.’
Wes Streeting raised his eyebrows awkwardly as the PM used his King’s Speech response to make a pointed reference to people assembling ‘lists of MPs’
Experts have warned of market panic over the chaos at the heart of Government.
There are fears that interest rates on gilts – the main way the Government borrows money – and sterling ‘move rapidly into crisis territory’.
Sir Keir said: ‘The gracious speech was brilliantly proposed by my honourable friend, the member for Bradford West (Naz Shah).
‘Members across the House will have read her remarkable new book. Her list of endorsements is truly impressive, reaching well over 100 members – at last, a list that we could all get behind.’
In a sign of the PM’s weakness, Downing Street said he had ‘full confidence’ in Mr Streeting this afternoon despite the obvious plotting.
The Cabinet minister was notably absent from the frontbench in the Commons as MPs waited for the King to arrive earlier, with Sir Keir flanked by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Rachel Reeves.
He later appeared standing by the Speaker’s chair, and filed through to the Lords to watch the Speech next to Tory James Cleverly.
Allies had committed to staying silent today to avoid embarrassing the King, but his intentions leaked out shortly after the abortive talks with Sir Keir.
The news sent Government borrowing costs – which are close to 28-year highs – spiking again.
The package of 35 Bills – and several draft Bills – includes moves to cosy up to the EU, as well as boost the push for Net Zero.
However, there is no fresh attempt slated to curb benefits spending – after mutinous MPs crashed the last one.
There is also only a passing mention of ‘sustained’ defence spending increases, with no timetable for publishing the long-awaited investment plan.
And questions have been raised over the lack of references to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s settlement rights overhaul – which has infuriated many of Sir Keir’s critics.
Among the measures in the Speech today:
- An EU Partnership Bill would give ministers sweeping powers to adopt Brussels rules without the Commons voting;
- A Peerages Removal Bill could see Peter Mandelson targeted to have his title formally taken away;
- The Government has again committed to a ‘conversion practices’ Bill, but only a draft rather than full legislation;
- Net Zero measures feature heavily in a win for Ed Miliband – seen as a key powerbroker in the Labour leadership struggle.
Keir Starmer appealed for unity as he unveiled the King’s Speech – despite questions raging over whether he will stay in No 10 long enough to implement the legislative programme
Wes Streeting has told allies that he is ready to resign and pull the trigger on a challenge as soon as tomorrow
Mr Streeting was on the Government frontbench for the King’s Speech debate this afternoon, despite his war with the PM
A grim-faced Wes Streeting walked out of Downing Street this morning after a meeting with Sir Keir that lasted just 16 minutes
The King on the State Throne next to the Queen today as he prepared to give the speech
Mr Streeting was notably absent in the Commons as frontbenchers waited for the monarch to arrive, with Sir Keir flanked by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Rachel Reeves
Mr Streeting later filed into the Lords alongside Tory MP James Cleverly – who seemed to be ribbing him about his manouevring
The premier has come under fire for putting the King in a difficult position, having to conduct the State Opening amid a full-blown Labour civil war.
The Speech was scheduled for today seemingly as a ‘firebreak’ following local elections, but the tactic has failed to subdue fury at the drubbing.
Sir Keir had a showdown with Mr Streeting, widely believed to be behind the insurrection, in Downing Street this morning.
However, the Health Secretary exited grim-faced after just 16 minutes, having seemingly found no common ground.
The PM faces a torrid time in the House later, when his first clashes with Kemi Badenoch since disastrous local elections will test the mood of the Labour benches.
In his introduction to the Speech package, Sir Keir played up the global ‘volatility’ with the Iran and Ukraine wars causing chaos.
The PM – who has warned that his ousting would fuel the turmoil on markets – promised to ‘continue our work to stabilise the economy and support people with the cost of living’.
Apparently delivering a message to his own restive MPs, Sir Keir said: ‘At moments like these, we face a choice.
‘We can choose to sink into the politics of grievance and division. Or we can choose to see it as an opportunity to deliver on the change we promised the British people.’
He said the Government would end defence ‘austerity’ and ‘stand strong with Nato’, despite tensions with Donald Trump. But Sir Keir only said ministers will ‘push ahead’ with the Defence Investment Plan, without revealing when.
He said there was now ‘greater urgency’ for change, including ‘setting a new direction for Britain at the next EU summit’. ‘Putting Britain at the heart of Europe,’ he added.
The PM’s band of allies had dismissed the discussion with Mr Streeting as a ‘quick cup of coffee’ beforehand, jibing that he did not have the numbers or the ‘nerve’ to challenge.
The party’s union paymasters waded into the row this morning, releasing a joint statement calling for a more Left-wing agenda.
‘It’s clear that the Prime Minister will not lead Labour into the next election, and at some stage a plan will have to be put in place for the election of a new leader,’ the affiliated unions said.
Ominously for Sir Keir, the next batch of Mandelson documents is due to be released as early as next week.
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Angela Rayner are both circling as the question of who will succeed Sir Keir dominates MPs’ discussions.
Nigel Green of financial advisory group deVere said: ‘Should Wes Streeting resign tomorrow and launch a leadership challenge, gilts and sterling could move rapidly into crisis territory.
‘The markets hate uncertainty, but they hate political vacuum even more.
‘A Cabinet resignation followed by a leadership fight would signal that the government is losing control of itself while investors are already questioning the country’s fiscal direction.’
High drama at Westminster yesterday saw four Labour ministers resign, saying they no longer had confidence in the premier.
The number of Labour MPs calling for him to go rose to 90, and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was forced to deny she is on the brink of quitting after telling the PM to set out a timetable for his departure.
Members of the King’s Body Guards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms process through the Royal Gallery today ahead of the Speech
Keir Starmer and wife Victoria left to watch the King’s Speech just as the heavens opened in Westminster
The Imperial State Crown and Sword of State were brought to Parliament as the age-old rituals began today
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What happens first, Streeting walks or Starmer digs in?
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Taxpayers will struggle to see the government’s legislative agenda as either ambitious or a break with the status quo.
‘With frontline services continuing to falter and the tax burden hurtling towards a record high, the government seems to be more interested in expanding the quangocracy, pushing forward with nationalisation, and ignoring the ballooning welfare bill.
‘This government’s programme wallows in the mire of mediocrity and perfectly encapsulates Keir Starmer’s time in office. Taxpayers deserve better.’
