As far as political own goals go, it is possible the anonymous briefing against Wes Sreeting which has sparked some of the most damaging headlines since Labour took power, will be among the textbook examples.
Senior Government figures including members of the Cabinet, MPs and insiders from across the party spoken to by The i Paper, have condemned the move.
It was intended to shore up the Prime Minister’s position. Instead it has left many feeling Streeting has been strengthened by the attempt to expose him as plotting against Sir Keir Starmer.
More damaging, it has exposed a “toxic culture” in the heart of government and has taken the PM’s focus away from a make-or-break budget later this month.
MPs and party insiders described the briefings – two weeks ahead of a crunch Budget – as “unhinged” and “fucking deranged”, after reporting by The i Paper raised the alarm among Starmer’s allies that there was serious plotting against him.
And bemused Cabinet ministers told allies of Starmer “we’re better than this” after the extraordinary briefings.
Morgan McSweeney under suspicion
Some party insiders blamed the move on No 10 chief of staff Morgan McSweeney but others said it originated from a minister close to the PM, while Starmer condemned the attack on a Cabinet colleague as “completely unacceptable”.
Streeting, the Health Secretary, responded by backing the Prime Minister but attacking those responsible. Asked on Radio 4′ Today programme if Starmer should sack those responsible, Streeting said: “Yes. But he’s got to find them first and I wouldn’t expect him to waste loads of time on this.”
This drew plaudits from MPs who said the Health Secretary “had them [Starmer allies] on toast” on the morning broadcast round, while another added that he had demonstrated why he is a “positive alternative in so many ways”.
A senior party insider added that Streeting “will have impressed people who don’t like or agree with him naturally”: “It’s hard to know what the [Starmer allies’] plan was so it’s hard to say if it’s worked.
“If it was damaging Wes… that has failed”.
Caption: Health Secretary Wes Streeting speaking at the NHS Providers’ annual conference and exhibition at Manchester Central. Picture Wednesday November 12, 2025. PA Photo. Photographer: Peter Byrne/PA WireLater on Wednesday afternoon Streeting pressed his advantage. “The bizarre thing about some juvenile briefing overnight is that it’s people in No 10 who’ve said the Prime Minister is fighting for his job,” he said.
“Now, I don’t think that’s firstly a helpful or constructive thing to say, and I also don’t think it’s true.”
Asked why No 10 believes Streeting is on manoeuvres, a source close to the Health Secretary replied: “Because they are in paranoid bunker mode and they’re no longer thinking straight.”
They added: “Wes is just getting on with his job – NHS reform speech today, waiting lists stats out tomorrow, start of the BMA strikes on Friday – lots to do, no time to waste on this nonsense.”
A senior MP and ally of Streeting said the briefings suggested the writing was on the wall for Starmer’s leadership, saying “it’s end of days” and adding of No 10: “It’s mad shit like this that is why the whole bunch need to go.”
The i Paper understands Starmer has made no attempt to contact Streeting directly so far on Wednesday.
Streeting on ‘leadership maneuvers’
If Streeting and his backers are angry, so are some of those elsewhere in Government.
“This has to be the end of the No 10 briefing culture, where they attack their own side,” one Government source said. “It is always so self-defeating and damaging to us, and yet they continue to do it. I know they want to say this isn’t anyone inside No 10, which is just ridiculous. They’ve got to take responsibility.”
Other sources however claimed Streeting had been on leadership manoeuvres, “lining up support” from MPs ahead of a potential challenge to Starmer after expected defeats in May’s local elections and a difficult Budget.
One MP said they were approached unexpectedly by a Streeting ally recently who “very quickly cut to trying to get my views on Keir.”
“I thought to myself, ‘this is odd… I think you’re fishing, I think you’re trying to test the mood’,” the MP added.
A party insider said Streeting had been working the tearoom and suspected No 10 decided to act as they view the Health Secretary as a genuine threat unlike the so-called soft-left which has been agitating and is “organisationally strong” but “without a strong candidate for now”.
Streeting categorically denied he was plotting to oust the PM, telling Sky News: “This is just about the worst attack on a faithful I’ve seen since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final.
Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday., House of Commons/PA Wire“It’s totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true and I don’t understand how anyone thinks it’s helpful to the Prime Minister either.”
Senior Government insiders were left bemoaning the state of affairs, just two weeks ahead of a crunch Budget.
One Cabinet minister urged those involved in the briefing war to “refocus” on the “not inconsiderable task” facing the Government to rebuild the economy, secure borders and improve young people’s life chances
They told The i Paper: “Something has obviously happened that’s led to briefing and counter briefing, it’s not unheard of in politics, but we’re better than this and some individuals need to remember what the British people put us here to do.”
A Government source said they were “just so sad about it all”, adding: “We’re pissing it all away.”
Other Cabinet members said they were clueless as to why Downing Street had decided to blow the issue up, with one minister telling The i Paper: “I’ve no idea what is going on.”
A junior minister added: “It’s just all a mess! Everyone needs to calm down.”
Briefing war ‘may prove justified’
Despite criticism, The i Paper understands there is a view in No 10 that the briefing war will prove justified once events play out, and that the atmosphere in Downing Street is calmer.
Reports suggest Streeting was picked off as a warning to other potential challengers such as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Allies of Mahmood have said suggestions she was involved in plotting were “nonsense”.
One senior MP meanwhile dismissed claims No 10 was engaged in so-called “black ops” to boost Streeting, who had been seen as a McSweeney ally and a potential continuity leadership candidate, saying this was “way too Machiavellian”.
A Labour former minister said the civil war sparked memories of the New Labour era, which was marked by vicious backbiting in the party.
Happier times: Streeting and Starmer in 2023 while Labour was in opposition. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)“We’re not even 18-months in, but it’s like the Gordon Brown days.”
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer Keir said “any attack on any member of my Cabinet is completely unacceptable”.
He said Streeting was doing a “great job” as he highlighted his record on turning around the NHS.
In a round of broadcast interviews, Streeting said the briefings showed problems with the “culture in No 10”, although he added that “I’d just like to commend the briefer on at least picking on one of the men instead of the women in Cabinet” after a series of attacks on female ministers including Angela Rayner, Lisa Nandy and Bridget Phillipson.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today “There are people around the Prime Minister who do not follow his model and style of leadership.
“I can tell you, without having even spoken to the Prime Minister, what he thinks of briefing, what his reaction will be to the front pages and the broadcast bulletins overnight and the words I’m sure he would use are not suitable for a family show like this.”
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Starmer’s press secretary said the Prime Minister had confidence in McSweeney and described the briefings, which she suggested came from outside No 10, as “frustrating distractions from the work that the Government is doing”.
She also made clear that Starmer planned to remain Prime Minister and fight the next election.
“This is a project which he has always been clear is about a decade of national renewal, because that’s what it takes to turn the country around after 14 years of failure from the Tories,” the spokeswoman added.
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