Keir Starmer has emphasized that there has been no briefing against Wes Streeting from Downing Street, following the recent dispute within the Labour party.
The Prime Minister addressed the situation with his top team on Thursday after allegations surfaced that Wes Streeting was plotting against him. Streeting refuted the accusations, leading the PM to condemn all forms of briefing against ministers as unacceptable.
In a statement, the PM stated his long-standing stance against such actions and reiterated his intention to address any instances of ministerial briefing. He also expressed confidence in his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who had been linked to the alleged briefing by some MPs.
Regarding the upcoming Budget and local elections, Starmer acknowledged the need to fulfill the promised changes from the election to regain the support of his party.
Sources close to the PM had suggested that Streeting was contemplating a challenge for the Labour leadership post the Budget. However, the Health Secretary dismissed these claims, accusing the PM’s allies of trying to undermine him.
During his visit to Liverpool, Streeting downplayed the previous week’s attacks on him, labeling them as old news. He avoided discussing the future of Morgan McSweeney and spoke positively about the NHS’s progress under the Labour Government.
In response to questions about McSweeney, Streeting redirected the focus to the positive developments within the NHS, highlighting the improvements in waiting lists and emergency response times.
Starmer’s commitment to addressing any ministerial briefings against his team members was reiterated, emphasizing the importance of delivering on the promised changes.