Sir Keir Starmer has publicly declared that he never authorised attacks on his own cabinet members, following a day of high political drama in Westminster centred on claims that Health Secretary Wes Streeting was plotting a coup.
PMQs Clash and Denials
The Prime Minister used Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 12 November 2025 to directly address the swirling rumours, which had dominated the morning's news. He firmly backed his Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, who had spent the morning vehemently denying allegations that he planned to oust Sir Keir after the upcoming budget and take his job. Mr Streeting had claimed the damaging briefings originated from within Number 10 itself.
Sir Keir told the Commons: "Let me be clear. I've never authorised attacks on cabinet members. I appointed them to that post because they're the best people to carry out that job." He added that any attack on a member of his cabinet was "completely unacceptable" and insisted his government was a "united team" focused on delivery.
A United Front and Lingering Questions
Despite his strong defence of Mr Streeting, Sir Keir pointedly avoided expressing full confidence in his Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, when pressed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. Instead, he stated that "Morgan McSweeney, my team and I are absolutely focused on delivering for the country." Ms Badenoch was quick to note that this did not constitute a full endorsement of his top aide.
Later, the Prime Minister's spokesperson did confirm that Sir Keir had full confidence in Mr McSweeney. In a significant shift, the spokesperson then claimed the briefing against Mr Streeting had come from outside Number 10, escalating a blame game within the heart of government.
Early Morning Denials and Opposition Attacks
The controversy erupted hours before PMQs, when Wes Streeting appeared on the Mornings with Ridge and Frost programme at 7am. He firmly stated he would not attempt to oust the Prime Minister and accused the Prime Minister's allies in Number 10 of briefing against him.
He criticised the behaviour, saying, "I do think that going out and calling your Labour MPs 'feral' is not very helpful... I think that trying to kneecap one of your own team... is self-defeating and self-destructive behaviour." He wryly added that whoever was behind the briefings had "been watching too much Celebrity Traitors."
During the Commons session, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seized on the turmoil, accusing Sir Keir of having "lost control of Number 10." She claimed that just two weeks from the 26 November budget, "the government has descended into civil war." She mocked the idea that advisers were briefing that replacing the Prime Minister would destabilise international markets, asking, "Why does the prime minister think that there would be a market meltdown if the health secretary took over?"
The political skirmish concluded with Sir Keir publicly praising Mr Streeting's work, highlighting that he had helped deliver five million extra NHS appointments and was, in the Prime Minister's view, "doing a very good job."
