Keir Starmer to face Kemi Badenoch grilling at PMQs after Wes Streeting denies plot to oust PM: Live updates

Kemi Badenoch has changed her approach at the despatch box, preferring to skewer the Prime Minister over a single issue instead of firing a plethora of questions as she did in her early exchanges.

Let’s see what the Leader of the Opposition could focus on this week:

Ms Badenoch may well decide to draw further attention to the Prime Minister’s own future after it emerged allies were insisting he would fight any leadership challenge.

The economy has proved strong ground for Ms Badenoch at PMQs and with two weeks to go until the Budget, she may decide to take aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves again after she promised no more tax rises after last year.

Figures earlier this week showed the overall unemployment rate hit 5% for the first time since the Covid pandemic with Reeves blamed for presiding over a ‘jobs bloodbath’

Justice Secretary David Lammy told the Commons yesterday that 91 prisoners have been let out by mistake in just seven months. It comes after the accidental release of high-profile prisoners which dominated PMQs when the deputies took charge last week.

Ms Badenoch may take Sir Keir to task over a five-day doctors’ strike which starts on Friday, in what will be the health service’s 13th round of industrial action.

The Liberal Democrats say briefings emerging from No 10 are ‘incredibly damaging’ to the markets ahead of the Budget in two weeks time.

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said:

I think that Wes Streeting should be focused on sorting out the crisis in the NHS, not the crisis in No 10. If No 10 has realised that the country is frustrated and they’ve internalised that as a party, that is a good thing because it gives us hope they might start to turn things around.

But on the other hand, we are just two weeks away from the Budget. These kind of stories are incredibly damaging for the markets and for investors, both domestic and international and as a country we don’t want that … to be so destabilising.

Britain needs to show it is ‘open for business’ she told reporters after a speech at a pub in London on Lib Dem budget proposals.

UK Government borrowing costs ticked higher on Wednesday morning, as the price of gilts – UK Government bonds – slipped in value amid speculation over a leadership challenge to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Yields on 10-year-gilts, which move counter to the price of the bonds, rose by 3 basis points to 4.42% in early trading. The yield on the longer-term 30-year-gilt also rose by a similar amount.

The rise come after yields had dropped significantly on Tuesday after rising unemployment and falling wage growth prompted predictions of interest rate cuts.

The value of the pound also moved 0.02% higher to 1.315 against the dollar.

The Prime Minister has reportedly told ministers that any attempted coup would destabilise Britain’s standing on the financial markets and its relationship with foreign governments.

Keir Starmer is facing mounting questions about his future after No10 launched an extraordinary pre-emptive strike on plotters.

The PM’s allies have delivered a stark warning that he will not go without a fight if challenged.

They singled out Wes Streeting as being ‘on manoeuvres’ – drawing a furious condemnation from the Cabinet minister who said the attack was ‘self-destructive’.

The chaos has ramped up speculation that Sir Keir might not have long left, with the Budget on November 26 and potentially disastrous local elections looming in May.

But how could Labour MPs oust Sir Keir before the next general election?

Sir Keir Starmer has left Downing Street as he heads to the Commons for PMQs.

The Prime Minister will surely be questioned over his own future after allies briefed he is ready to contest any leadership challenge from within the Labour party.

The chairwoman of the Red Wall group of Labour MPs said the party was ‘fighting like dogs’.

Bassetlaw MP Jo White earlier told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme:

Our enemies love nothing more than when we start fighting like dogs in public, and my message to those MPs who are running around with their tails held high: That this is neither the time or the place.

This is a group of people who think they’re much cleverer than the rest of us, who spend their time selectively briefing journalists and stirring the pot. I want to simply say: We’re not having it.

I’m not aware of a single person in the red wall group who’s involved in this. And if anyone, including Wes Streeting, wants to make a move, they would have to speak to us. He’s a London MP and it hasn’t happened and it’s not true.

Wes Streeting has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack whoever was responsible for behind-the-scenes briefings against him from Downing Street with Labour MPs increasingly calling for action.

Asked if he knew who was responsible he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:

No. If I did, I would tell the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister would sack them.

Daily Mail columnist Dan Hodges today says the ‘universal reaction’ from Labour MPs and insiders is that Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff, should be dismissed.

Asked whether he was planning a leadership challenge, the Health Secretary told Sky News:

No, and I think whoever’s been briefing this has been watching too much Celebrity Traitors, and this is just about the worst attack on a faithful I’ve seen since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final.

It’s totally self defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true and I don’t understand how anyone thinks it’s helpful to the Prime Minister either.

Asked if he would rule out demanding Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation after the Budget, he said:

Yes, and nor did I shoot JFK. I don’t know where Lord Lucan is, had nothing to do with Shergar, and I do think that the US did manage to do the moon landings. I don’t think they were fake.

Watch Mr Streeting’s interview on Sky News below:

Friends of Keir Starmer launched a dramatic ‘Stop Streeting’ campaign just a fortnight before the crucial Budget amid fears it could prompt a leadership challenge if it lands badly with huge tax hikes expected.

The Prime Minister’s supporters made clear he will fight any leadership challenge in an extraordinary pre-emptive strike on plotters.

Among those touted as replacements are Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is seen as a rising star in the Labour Party.

One veteran aide said as many as ‘four leadership campaigns’ were already up and running. Ed Miliband and Louise Haigh are also seen as potential challengers.

The assault from No10 was seemingly timed to coincide with Mr Streeting touring broadcast studios for a big NHS announcement.

Good morning and welcome to the Daily Mail’s live coverage of Prime Minister’s Questions.

Sir Keir Starmer heads to the Commons today after his Health Secretary Wes Streeting denied a plot to oust him from Downing Street amid fears the Prime Minister could soon face a leadership challenge.

Last night, allies of Sir Keir insisted he would face down any attempt to remove him from office with Mr Streeting understood to be among those planning to make a move.

It comes just two weeks out from a Budget in which Labour looks set to break a manifesto promise not to raise taxes on working people.

After his deputy David Lammy stood in last week, Sir Keir returns to the Commons to take questions from Kemi Badenoch.

Join us for updates throughout the day plus the latest news and reaction from our team in Westminster.