Keir Starmer speaks in 10 Downing Street during a meeting with leaders from across society to discuss tackling antisemitism.Downing Street will launch a bid to save Keir Starmer’s job in the wake of Thursday’s local elections, HuffPost UK has learned.
A special team of government advisers will base themselves in No.10 amid speculation that a leadership challenge to the prime minister could be launched as early as Friday.
Their job will be to shore up Starmer’s position in the wake of what are expected to be devastating results for Labour.
Voters across England, Scotland and Wales will go to the polls on Thursday in the biggest test of public opinion since the 2024 general election.
Pollsters forecast that Labour will lose up to 1,850 councillors in England, while also suffering humiliating defeats in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd elections.
HuffPost UK can reveal that government special advisers – known as “spads” in Westminster and who are usually based in Whitehall departments – are being temporarily seconded to Downing Street from Friday.
Allies of the PM fear that angry Labour MPs could sign a letter to Starmer demanding he set out a timetable for his departure from office.
There is also concern at the top of government that a cabinet minister could quit in an attempt to force a leadership election.
Under Labour rules, anyone with the support of 20% of the party’s MPs – which would currently mean 81 – can challenge a sitting leader.
A leadership contest would then be triggered, with Starmer’s name automatically going on the ballot.
A senior government source said: “A team of spads are going in to No.10 on Friday to basically help protect the prime minister from any potential leadership challenges.
“The original plan was for them to be based in Labour HQ, rather than their departments, but the feeling now is it’s better to have them in Downing Street working for the PM.”
Speculation has been mounting for months that former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, health secretary Wes Streeting and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham are all planning leadership bids.
However, allies of the PM have made it clear that he is determined to fight off any challenges and is vehemently opposed to calls for him to set out a timetable for his departure in order to allow an orderly transition to a new leader.
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
