Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is to meet Health Secretary Wes Streeting, one of his potential leadership challengers, this morning, as his government faces an attempt by Labour MPs to oust him from the top job.
The meeting comes after four ministers resigned, including prominent MP Jess Phillips who quit as safeguarding minister, and Streeting ally Zubir Ahmed.
More than 80 Labour MPs also urged Sir Keir to stand down, exposing deep divisions over the prime minister’s future.
Sir Keir vowed to get on with governing on Tuesday, while his cabinet allies and more than 100 MPs rallied behind the prime minister, warning against a leadership contest.
But the prime minister’s authority has been weakened by the Labour revolt, which came after a dire set of election results last week.
The resignations and turmoil in Downing Street come as Sir Keir’s government is due to set out its legislative agenda in the King’s Speech.
Streeting is due to meet Sir Keir in Number 10 Downing Street ahead of the event, which marks the start of a new parliamentary session.
The BBC has been told Streeting will not be saying anything that might distract from the King’s Speech following the meeting.
The prime minister earlier defied calls to depart No 10, telling his cabinet the country “expects us to get on with governing” and pointing out that a formal leadership challenge had not been triggered.
A leadership election can only be triggered if the leader resigns or if Labour MPs launch a challenge when there is no vacancy.
A challenger wishing to oust an incumbent leader must be supported by 20% of Labour MPs, meaning 81 would need to support a challenger to formally start the process.
Streeting has previously been open about his leadership ambitions and has plenty of support from Labour MPs, particularly those on the centre and the right of the party.
The BBC has been told the prime minister’s allies are convinced the health secretary will not be able to produce a list of 81 supporters in his meeting on Wednesday.
Some of Streeting’s backers had written letters suggesting Sir Keir had lost the support of the country, and ministers seen as sympathetic to the health secretary have resigned.
But Sir Keir has defied the pressure to go and some MPs on the party’s right, who would have been assumed to be Streeting supporters, have signed the statement that says now is not the time for a leadership contest.
Even if Streeting does lack sufficient support, other challenges remain.
The prime minister has pulled out of a meeting with the unions which help fund the Labour Party.
Those unions are expected to issue a statement declaring that Sir Keir should not lead the party into the next general election.
The uncertainty over Sir Keir’s job security is an awkward backdrop to the King’s Speech.
The King’s Speech is expected to include more than 35 bills and draft bills, including immigration, NHS and police reforms, along with a route to potentially nationalising British Steel.
But whether Sir Keir remains prime minister long enough to deliver the legislation promised is an open question in Westminster.
