Starmer will fight attempts to replace him, allies say

The prime minister's allies have made it clear that he would combat any challenge to his leadership from Labour MPs. Many loyal to Sir Keir Starmer are concerned that his career will be in jeopardy right away, perhaps as soon as the Budget is set to expire in a fortnight's time. Downing Street is in full bunker mode, according to critics, who "would not help the government out of the hole we're in. Sir Keir's family is extremely worried about what they see as plotting to replace him and want to make it clear what they think are the risks of a leadership challenge.

Those names being considered by Labour MPs as potential replacements for Sir Keir include several of his closest cabinet allies, including Wes Streeting, the health minister, and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Others are also curious about Ed Miliband, the energy minister, and backbenchers, including former transport secretary Louise Haigh. Some loyal to the prime minister are concerned about Streeting's aspirations. Streeting denied rumors that he would challenge Sir Keir self-defeating nonsense and said he was not protesting the prime minister when speaking to BBC Breakfast. When asked if he'd ever consider making such a move, he replied:

I can't imagine circumstances under which I would do that to our prime minister.

He suggested that the prime minister dismiss the aide in charge of the briefing, which he described as

the worst assault on a faithful since Joe Marler was banned in The Traitors final. He said that there was a

toxic atmospherein Downing Street that needed to be changed.He [the prime minister] will combat this,

one minister said before referring to a pivotal by-election in 2021, which Labour lost to the Conservatives, causing Sir Keir to consider resigning as Labour's leader.

This is not a Hartlepool moment,they said.He is one of the few people alive to have won a general election for Labour. After 17 months, it would be madness to run against him.

Sir Keir is deeply unpopular, perhaps even the most unpopular British prime minister in the history of modern opinion polling, according to opinion polls. According to polls, the Labour Party has enjoyed the support of more than a quarter of the electorate in recent months. However, a move to replace Sir Keir isn't straightforward. It will take 20% of its MPs to nominate a candidate under Labour's guidelines - 81 given the current size of the parliamentary party in the Commons. Plenty of Labour Party members have affirmed that the government is on a likely crunch point after devolvingd elections in Scotland and Wales, as well as local elections in several areas of England next May. Labour is expected to do badly in those polls, but some in the party are concerned that it will not wait until then to consider a change of leader. Downing Street is aware of the possibility that such a threat could be a danger to them.

It's all very well to wait for the locals to wait, but that's my activist base I'm sending into the gun battle. I can't lose all my councillors.

The list of reasons for people to leave after the Budget is growing by the day,

another Labour source said.

If Wes is brave and moves forward, he may well be rewarded by being Prime Minister by Christmas.

Downing Street has stepped into full bunker mode, based on their most devoted cabinet members for absolutely no reason,a government source said.Unfortunately, Keir's team briefing against his own employees continues to do so, and now it's Wes' turn,the source said.A circular firing squad will not help the government out of the hole we're in," a government source said, referring to Angela Rayner and Lucy Powell, respectively, and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

Maurice Glasman, a Labour peer, told BBC Two's Newsnight that he didn't see any candidate who could possibly challenge Sir Keir, and that the leadership chatter was just noise.There isn't a definite course, and there isn’t — there is no such thing as Keir's opponent, none of whom are competing have any idea,

he said. When asked if Mahmood would be up to the challenge of addressing Labour's problems, Lord Glasman said,

absolutely. I mean, she's the only one of the absolute lot with genuine integrity, but she has a lot to do.

He said he fully supports the prime minister and was not in favour of any challenge to his leadership. Labour MPs are telling Labour MP's that they should be aware of what they want to hear. They claim that a leadership race will plunge the party into the chaos of the last year of the Conservative Party's tenure in office, which came to an end last year, and that whoever does not have a mandate from the country. They're attempting to warn their colleagues that a vote could destabilize the international markets, as well as jeopardizing the prime minister's good working relationship with President Trump. However, some, including some ministers, are concerned about the government's insecure situation.

It's terrible. He [Starmer] is hated out there. It's worse than it was under Corbyn.

I don't see how this will be profitable until May,

one minister said.

There are those who see it as a choice between this Labour government and perfection,

a cabinet minister who supports the prime minister sums up the mood among their colleagues as they see it:

Some see it in the sense that it is a decision between this Labor government and perfectionism. The closer we get to the policies they see as optimal, the happier they are.

But the choice isn't between us and perfection; it's between us/reform.

In recent months, the rise of Reform UK has concentrated minds in Downing Street. Labour leader Nigel Farage's fight as generation-defining – and the possibility of losing to Reform at a general election – are both significant and worse than Labour's losses to the Conservatives. He believes he has the energy and resources to face and defeat Farage. However, a growing number of his coworkers are still unconvinced.

We are not like the Tories. One Labour MP first elected last year told us, "We're not going to change leader more than once in a parliament.

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