9 h. ago Keir Starmer must 'get a grip' in next three months or he is finished, Lord Blunkett says as Prime Minister's Cabinet is beset by leadership infighting and Budget chaos

Former Labour Home Secretary Lord David Blunkett has warned Sir Keir Starmer that he needs 'to get a grip' within three months or could face serious consequences.

Politics

10 h. ago Keir Starmer must 'get a grip' in next three months or he is finished, Lord Blunkett says as Prime Minister's Cabinet is beset by leadership intriguing and Budget chaos

Former Labour Home Secretary Lord David Blunkett has warned Sir Keir Starmer that he needs 'to get a grip' within three months or could face serious consequences.

Politics

52 h. ago Starmer was never meant to be Labour’s prime minister – his leadership was doomed from the start | Neal Lawson

His alliance with the party’s anti-Corbyn faction was a shotgun marriage that totally lacked vision. Now Labour is paying the priceWes Streeting was always meant to be their Labour prime minister. The plan, hatched by a tiny clique of rightwing faction fighters, was this: find a candidate on whom they could fake a continuation Corbynism project to win the leadership. Then kick the ladder away from the people who backed them and the promises they made. At the next general election, given the scale of the Tory majority after 2019, get Labour back in the ring with more MPs and then hand over to Streeting. The real grownups would then be in charge and the subsequent election would be secured.But no one reckoned with Covid, Tory turmoil and the collapse of the SNP. Suddenly Keir Starmer wasn’t going to just lead Labour to a better defeat and a springboard for victory next time. Against the odds, he was going to win. Just as Jeremy Corbyn was Labour’s accidental leader in 2015, Starmer wa...

Politics

52 h. ago Starmer’s backers never meant him to be prime minister – his leadership was doomed from the start | Neal Lawson

His alliance with the party’s anti-Corbyn faction was a shotgun marriage that totally lacked vision. Now Labour is paying the priceWes Streeting was always meant to be their Labour prime minister. The plan, hatched by a tiny clique of rightwing faction fighters, was this: find a candidate on whom they could fake a continuation Corbynism project to win the leadership. Then kick the ladder away from the people who backed them and the promises they made. At the next general election, given the scale of the Tory majority after 2019, get Labour back in the ring with more MPs and then hand over to Streeting. The real grownups would then be in charge and the subsequent election would be secured.But no one reckoned with Covid, Tory turmoil and the collapse of the SNP. Suddenly Keir Starmer wasn’t going to just lead Labour to a better defeat and a springboard for victory next time. Against the odds, he was going to win. Just as Jeremy Corbyn was Labour’s accidental leader in 2015, Starmer wa...

Politics

62 h. ago Allies of Sir Keir Starmer warn coup plotters if they oust the PM it will trigger a General Election that would see the party annihilated

As rumours of a leadership challenge swirled at Westminster, friends of the beleaguered Prime Minister claimed any new leader would 'need their own mandate' from the voters.

Events

2 d. ago Keir Starmer leadership chaos as Labour MP says 'Prime Minister employs kids'

Civil war erupted on Wednesday Health Secretary Wes Streeting lashed out at the 'toxic culture' in No10 and one MP compared aides to characters from the Thick of It

Politics

3 d. ago Keir Starmer says any No 10 briefings against ministers ‘unacceptable’

Starmer defends Wes Streeting at PMQs but dodges question on his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeneyUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has condemned as “completely unacceptable” any briefings against cabinet ministers from inside Downing Street as he tried desperately to close a rift at the top of government.Questioned by Kemi Badenoch at prime minister’s questions, Starmer defended Wes Streeting, the health secretary, who was the apparent target of a pre-emptive No 10 push against a feared imminent leadership challenge against the prime minister. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Streeting denies plot to oust Starmer and condemns briefings from No 10

Health secretary says attacks on him from Downing Street ‘self-defeating’ after reports PM’s job could be under threatUK politics live – latest updatesWes Streeting has denied leading a plot to overthrow the prime minister and called for those briefing against him to be sacked, widening an extraordinary rift at the top of government. The health secretary condemned the “self-defeating” attacks on him coming from Downing Street and said they were indicative of a toxic culture inside No 10. He rebuked the senior aides who were behind the anonymous briefings and said they proved that “there are people around the prime minister who do not follow his model and style of leadership”. Streeting was responding to the Guardian’s report that Downing Street has launched an operation to protect Keir Starmer against a leadership challenge his allies believe could come from Streeting after the budget or May local elections. The prime minister’s closest allies insisted he would fight any “reckless” ...

Politics

3 d. ago Starmer vows to fight on as Streeting’s allies deny leadership challenge

Party’s MPs grow frustrated with prime minister’s leadership as crucial Budget nears

Politics

3 d. ago Prime Minister could face leadership challenge after Budget, say Labour insiders

The Labour leader is increasingly concerned about his party’s dip in support which may result in serious losses at next year’s local elections

Politics

4 d. ago Starmer allies issue warning to PM’s rivals as fears grow over leadership challenge

Exclusive: No 10 said to be in ‘full bunker mode’ over fears of attempt to oust him after budget or May local electionsThin majorities and chaotic strategy push Labour MPs toward regime changeDowning Street has launched an extraordinary operation to protect Keir Starmer amid fears among the prime minister’s closest allies that he is vulnerable to a leadership challenge in the wake of the budget.Starmer’s most senior political aides warned that any attempt to oust the prime minister over tanking poll ratings would be a “reckless” and “dangerous” move that could destabilise the markets, international relationships and the Labour party. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Starmer's leadership under fire after voters humiliate Labour in safe seat it held for 100 years

The Prime Minister's leadership was called into question after the disastrous result in Caerphilly, South Wales.

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Still work to be done’: Iceland marks 50 years since Women’s Day Off protests

President says country is not free from feminist backlash being seen around worldIceland is the only country to have closed the gender gap by more than 90%, according to the World Economic Forum, and, for the first time in its history, every national leadership position – including president, prime minister, bishop and police chief – is now held by a woman.But as people go on strike on Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of “kvennafrí” (“Women’s Day Off”) strike, the protest that kickstarted a global equality revolution, the Icelandic president warned that her country was not immune to gender-related “red flags” and a global “backlash” against feminism. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Icelandic women urged to strike on Friday to mark 50th anniversary of seminal protest

President, who will join ‘Women’s Day Off’, says Iceland is not free from feminist backlash being seen around worldIceland is the only country to have closed the gender gap by more than 90%, according to the World Economic Forum, and, for the first time in its history, every national leadership position – including president, prime minister, bishop and police chief – is now held by a woman.But as people go on strike on Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of “kvennafrí” (“Women’s Day Off”) strike, the protest that kickstarted a global equality revolution, the Icelandic president warned that her country was not immune to gender-related “red flags” and a global “backlash” against feminism. Continue reading...

Events