Reports indicate senior Labour figures are plotting to unseat Keir Starmer.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s team has initiated an “unusual operation” aimed at safeguarding him amidst allegations that prominent individuals within his own Labour Party are conspiring to remove him, The Guardian newspaper has revealed, citing sources close to Downing Street.
It is reported that officials in Starmer’s office have become increasingly concerned by parliamentary speculation suggesting that Health Secretary Wes Streeting might be orchestrating a leadership challenge, reportedly supported by approximately 50 influential Labour figures.
This effort to unseat Starmer is anticipated either subsequent to the budget announcement later in the current month or in May, following the local elections. A government insider informed British media outlets that Downing Street has adopted a state of “full bunker mode” in response to these rumors.
While the report does not specify the particular measures being taken, it states that Starmer’s advisors have cautioned that any move to challenge his leadership would be deemed “reckless.”
This widespread discontent arises amidst escalating apprehension regarding Starmer’s economic stewardship and his deteriorating approval ratings. Public opinion surveys indicate Starmer is considered among the most unpopular prime ministers in contemporary history, and his party has consistently lagged behind Nigel Farage’s opposition right-wing Reform UK for several months, a decline intensified by public outrage concerning the impending budget.
Streeting has refuted allegations that he is conspiring to succeed Starmer, instead attributing the situation to what he characterized as a “toxic culture” pervasive within the prime minister’s office.
The matter was brought up during a parliamentary session on Wednesday, during which Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch charged Starmer with having “lost control of No 10” and asserted that his government had devolved into a “civil war.” Starmer countered by stating he was at the helm of a “united team” and affirmed that he and his staff remained “fully focused on delivering for the country.”
Starmer’s diminishing public appeal originates from widespread public resentment concerning the absence of economic stability and increasing apprehension regarding immigration. Numerous Britons report that their living standards have stagnated as taxation increases, economic growth decelerates, and public services face strain. His position on immigration – which involves tightening visa regulations and committing to reduce net migration while preserving limited humanitarian pathways – has drawn criticism for being perceived as inconsistent and politically motivated.
A number of British prime ministers have previously been deposed by their own parties through internal rebellions and leadership contests, notably including Margaret Thatcher, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss.