
UK - Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he has "never authorised" attacks on his cabinet ministers, calling briefings against them "unacceptable".

The PM was speaking at Prime Minister's Questions after some of his allies told numerous media outlets he could face a leadership challenge from another cabinet minister such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting. There has been speculation about the extent to which Sir Keir was aware of the anonymous briefings, which had been aimed at shoring up his position, or had encouraged them in some way. Streeting has denied he was lining up a leadership bid, and called on those behind the briefings to be sacked.
Asked at an NHS conference in Manchester if he would fight alongside Sir Keir if there were any plots to oust him as PM, Streeting said: "Yes." "The bizarre thing about some juvenile briefing overnight is it's people in No 10 who've said the PM is fighting for his job. "I don't think that's a helpful or constructive thing to say, I also don't think it's true," he added.
Streeting has attacked the "toxic culture" inside No 10, but has said he does not think the PM is behind the briefings. Asked whether he thought Sir Keir's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney was responsible for the culture in Downing Street, he said: "I am not going to add to the toxic culture by contributing to the toxic culture and going after individuals. "I don't think that is a constructive or positive thing to do. "One thing I would say for Morgan McSweeney is there wouldn't be a Labour government without him." At PMQs, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the PM had "lost control of his government... and lost the trust of the British people". She said McSweeney was responsible for the culture in No 10 and asked if the prime minister still had confidence in him. Sir Keir replied: "Morgan McSweeney, my team and I are absolutely focused on delivering for the country. (BBC)

