Keir Starmer has 'full confidence' in health secretary despite leadership challenge talk

"Wes Streeting has been to Downing Street for crunch talks that lasted less than 20 minutes this morning as the British prime minister continues to fend off calls to resign. The British Health Secretary did not speak to reporters on his way in or out of Number 10. The talks with Mr Streeting, seen as one of the key rivals for the Labour leadership, come after Starmer has so far managed to see off an immediate threat this week despite ministerial resignations and at least 80 MPs calling for him to quit."

"But on Wednesday morning, unions pulled their support, saying it is clear that Starmer will not lead Labour into the next election. Starmer's camp has suggested there is no consensus in Labour about having a leadership contest. Cabinet office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told broadcasters Monday had been "turbulent" for the prime minister, but that MPs had not united behind a candidate to trigger a contest, adding "we are moving on"."

"He insisted the two were "having a coffee" and dismissed that it was a showdown over Starmer's leadership. "Anyone would think we were talking about the final scene at a Casino Royale or something, looking at some of the coverage that we've had," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He earlier told BBC Breakfast: "There is no contest for the leadership of the Labour Party.""

""There's a very clear way to do that under our rules of 81 people nominating an alternative candidate. That hasn't happened. "The contest hasn't been triggered. We are moving on. I'm not say""

Wes Streeting visited Downing Street for crunch talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer that lasted less than 20 minutes. Starmer continued to face calls to resign while ministerial resignations and at least 80 MPs urged him to quit. Unions withdrew their support on Wednesday, saying Starmer would not lead Labour into the next election. Starmer’s camp suggested there was no consensus within Labour for a leadership contest. Nick Thomas-Symonds said Monday had been turbulent but MPs had not united behind a candidate to trigger a contest, adding that they were moving on. He said the two were having a coffee and rejected claims of a leadership showdown, stating no leadership contest had been triggered under Labour rules requiring 81 nominations for an alternative candidate.

Read at Irish Independent