Starmer rejects No 10 briefings at PMQs, defends aides

If you woke up to talk of a Labour ‘coup’, you’re not alone. Let’s slow it down. In the Commons today, the prime minister put his position on the record during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) and answered the claim that unnamed allies had been briefing against his own team.

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs he has “never authorised” attacks on any cabinet minister and called such briefings “completely unacceptable”. He also praised the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, who was away speaking at a health conference, saying his team is focused on delivery. These lines were carried by Reuters and other outlets following the session.

Across the dispatch box, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said No 10 had become “toxic” and pressed Starmer on whether he still had confidence in his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. Starmer did not break with his aide, replying that his team, including McSweeney, is focused on delivering for the country; later, Downing Street said explicitly that the PM has full confidence in McSweeney. This exchange and clarification were reported by the Independent and the Guardian’s politics live.

Streeting, the minister named in much of the overnight chatter, denied plotting to oust the PM. In broadcast interviews and at the conference, he called the anonymous briefing “self‑defeating” and said those responsible should be sacked. He also said the culture in No 10 needs to improve, while making clear he doesn’t think the PM himself is behind the briefing. The Guardian and the Independent carried those remarks.

Streeting then tried to take some heat out of the personal blame game. Asked about McSweeney, he refused to target individuals and added a pointed line of support: “there wouldn’t be a Labour government without him.” Sky News recorded that quote in its rolling politics coverage.

What did No 10 say about the source of the quotes? In the post‑PMQs briefing, the prime minister’s spokesperson told reporters that the anti‑Streeting lines came “from outside Number 10”, reaffirmed confidence in McSweeney, and said any leaks would be “dealt with” while refusing to spell out whether a formal leak inquiry had begun. Sky News and an AOL re‑report of the BBC’s copy summarised that session.

Quick media literacy note for you and your students: anonymous “briefings” often show up in copy as “allies say” or “friends of” a politician. That doesn’t mean the person named has said it, and it doesn’t have the same weight as a quote on camera or on the record. In today’s case, even No 10 stressed the overnight quotes were attributed to “allies” or “supporters”, not to a named Downing Street official. When reading political stories, place more weight on named quotes and ask a simple question: who benefits from this line? Sky’s live text made this distinction explicit today.

How would a Labour leadership challenge actually work? Under party rules, a challenger needs written nominations from at least 20% of Labour MPs to trigger a contest. With Labour holding roughly 400 seats at present, that’s around 80 nominations, depending on suspensions and vacancies. The Institute for Government explains the process clearly and notes there’s no formal “no‑confidence” vote like the Conservatives use.

Why now? Timing. The Budget is set for Wednesday 26 November, and big fiscal calls can unsettle both parties and markets. HM Treasury confirmed the date in a letter to MPs; Reuters has highlighted how borrowing costs and fiscal headroom are under pressure going into the statement. That’s why today’s messages about “stability” matter.

Who’s being talked about by MPs if there were ever a vacancy? Names in the Westminster conversation include Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. That’s chatter, not nominations, but it’s out there in reporting from the Evening Standard and the Guardian.

There’s also an international layer worth understanding. Allies of the PM have warned that internal upheaval risks market jitters and complicates relationships with key partners. Whatever your view, it’s a fact that the United States is now led by President Donald Trump, and Starmer has tried to keep a working relationship with the White House even amid rows over the BBC. AP has confirmed Trump’s presidency and reported today on Starmer swerving calls to urge Trump to drop a legal threat against the BBC.

What to watch next as an informed reader: look for more on‑the‑record statements (rather than “allies say”), any formal action on leaks, and-crucially-whether anyone comes close to the 20% nomination threshold. The bigger political tests arrive soon: the 26 November Budget and then the 2026 elections in Scotland, Wales and across English councils. Those are the real scorecards.

Finally, the mood in Labour: Business minister Sir Chris Bryant called the briefing saga “plain daft”, while Red Wall caucus chair Jo White told colleagues, “we’re not having it.” Those reactions were carried in outlets re‑reporting the BBC’s coverage this afternoon. It tells us many Labour MPs want the briefing war to stop.