Keir Starmer in last minute fightback as Wes Streeting poised to trigger leadership challenge

Keir Starmer is battling to quash a leadership challenge from Wes Streeting after the Health Secretary told allies he was poised to trigger a coup. The Health Secretary is on resignation watch after a 16-minute Downing Street showdown with the Prime Minister on Wednesday morning, in the wake of Labour's local election bloodbath. The Prime Minister's leadership is hanging in the balance as over 80 MPs publicly called on him to resign, while some 110 signed a letter backing him stay. Rival camps were working Parliament's tearooms and bars tonight as Mr Starmer urged MPs to step back from triggering a contest that could spell chaos for the country. The warring factions had been expected to lay down their arms ahead of the King’s Speech for fear of embarrassing the monarch with political infighting. But moments before the pomp-filled ceremony began, explosive briefings emerged that Mr Streeting has told allies that he is preparing to walk. The Health Secretary was then forced to face the cameras in Parliament as MPs trooped to the House of Lords to watch King Charles lay out the Government's legislative agenda. A spokesman for the Health Secretary failed to deny the claims, saying: “Wes is the Health Secretary, he is proud of his record of falling waiting lists and a recovering NHS . He is not planning to say anything following his meeting with the Prime Minister that might distract from the King’s Speech.” Mr Streeting had been expected to appear in public on Thursday to discuss new NHS figures but questions swirled over whether he would launch a bid for the top job. The prospect of a challenge plunged the party into chaos as Mr Streeting's camp scrambled to get the 81 MP backers needed to trigger a leadership contest. Mr Starmer went on the offensive this afternoon, seeing a string of MPs and ministers in Parliament to persuade them against going over the top. It is understood the PM told MPs we “can’t let a leadership contest plunge us into chaos” and that “a challenge would 100% do that”. Cabinet ministers including Chancellor Rachel Reeves were deployed to work Parliament's tearooms, warning potential rebels that a leadership contest risked paralysing the Government for months. Rival figures were also spotted including Zubir Ahmed, an ally of Mr Streeting who quit as a health minister, and former Deputy PM Angela Rayner. Meanwhile, MPs on the soft-left are pushing Labour's ruling body to allow Andy Burnham to run in a contest. The Greater Manchester Mayor needs to find a route back to Parliament to run. But one influential backbencher said: "The NEC decides the process, they can set a timetable that allows Andy to stand." Mr Burnham's allies maintain that he has a seat lined up, but no one has come forward publicly. A left-leaning MP said Mr Burnham must set out his path to the Commons urgently if he is to stand a chance. They said: “I think he’ll find a [Commons] seat but time is against him. He needs to be out there immediately with a clear path to the Commons.” Left-wingers are determined to field a candidate to block Mr Streeting but MPs are divided on whether to row in behind Angela Rayner or even former leader Ed Miliband if Mr Burnham is locked out. There was fury in Government at Mr Streeting - despite the PM's official spokesman earlier insisting Mr Starmer had confidence in his Health Secretary. One aide said: “I’m angry with how it’s played out. Like how we say we’re different to the Tories and then do the same thing. This could all be done behind closed doors. But there's an element of okay what comes next?" Another source said: “Wes is going to flame out. What were they thinking?” Meanwhile, Mr Starmer was dealt a significant blow when Labour ’s union backers called for a plan to replace him before the next election. The TULO group, which represents 11 affiliated unions including Unite, GMB and Unison, said Labour “cannot continue on its current path”. It said: “It’s clear that the Prime Minister will not lead Labour into the next election, and at some stage a plan will have to be put in place for the election of a new Leader.” The move is significant, as it shows Labour's ruling body could be shifting towards Mr Burnham after he was blocked from running in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February. A source with links to the NEC said: “I would’ve thought that the joint statement from the unions this morning would be a strong indicator that the NEC wouldn’t block Andy. Thinking about the make-up of NEC officers - you’ve got someone from the GMB, someone from USDAW - so that statement that came out from the unions would make you think there’s been a bit of a potential shift there.”