Starmer says he 'never authorised attacks' on Streeting after coup claims

Sir Keir Starmer has said helium "never authorised attacks" connected furniture members aft his Number 10 squad briefed that Wes Streeting was plotting a coup.

The premier curate backed his wellness secretary, who spent the greeting batting disconnected overnight claims - which helium said came from Number 10 - that helium was readying to oust Sir Keir aft the fund and instrumentality his place.

But the Labour person failed to accidental helium had afloat assurance successful his main of unit Morgan McSweeney, erstwhile asked by Conservative person Kemi Badenoch.

Politics latest: Starmer says immoderate onslaught connected furniture members is unacceptable

He told Prime Minister's Questions: "Morgan McSweeney, my squad and I are perfectly focused connected delivering for the country.

"Let maine beryllium clear. I've ne'er authorised attacks connected furniture members. I appointed them to that station due to the fact that they're the champion radical to transportation retired that job."

Ms Badenoch said she did not perceive Sir Keir backmost Mr McSweeney.

The premier minister's spokesperson aboriginal said helium had afloat assurance successful his main of unit - and claimed the briefing against Mr Streeting came from extracurricular Number 10, successful what appears to beryllium a blasted game.

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Sir Keir did publically backmost Mr Streeting, telling PMQs helium has helped present 5 cardinal other NHS appointments and is "doing a precise bully job".

"Any onslaught connected immoderate subordinate of my furniture is wholly unacceptable," Sir Keir added.

"This is simply a agreed squad and we are delivering."

His past enactment received jeers from the absorption benches, with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle having to intervene, telling MPs if they "want to audition for the pantomime, I suggest you spell to the Old Vic".

Ms Badenoch accused Sir Keir of having "lost power of Number 10" and said 2 weeks from the 26 November budget, "the authorities has descended into civilian war".

She said Labour MPs were "chuntering" from the benches facing her and said they were the "feral MPs that Number 10 has been talking about".

"Unbelievably, the premier minister's advisers person been reduced to briefing that MPs can't get escaped of him and - I'm not making this up - they can't get escaped of him due to the fact that it would destabilise planetary markets," Ms Badenoch added.

"Why does the premier curate deliberation that determination would beryllium a marketplace meltdown if the wellness caput took over?"

Hours earlier, astatine 7am, Mr Streeting told Mornings with Ridge and Frost helium would not effort to oust Sir Keir and accused allies of the premier curate successful Number 10 of briefing against him.

"I bash deliberation that going retired and calling your Labour MPs 'feral' is not precise helpful," helium said.

"I bash deliberation that trying to kneecap 1 of your ain squad erstwhile they are out, not conscionable making the lawsuit for the government, but really delivering the alteration that we promised, I deliberation that is besides self-defeating and self-destructive behaviour."

He added: "Whoever's been briefing this has been watching excessively overmuch Celebrity Traitors.

"This is conscionable astir the worst onslaught connected a faithful I've seen since Joe Marler was kicked retired and banished successful the final."