Keir Starmer points warning to Cabinet over management ‘distraction’ after spat

Keir Starmer has issued a stern warning to Cabinet members after admitting that “distractions” had shifted focus from where it should be.

The PM told his team they must deliver on promises “rather than talk about ourselves”. It followed an extraordinary briefing war which fuelled speculation about a leadership challenge.

Mr Starmer’s official spokesman said he had made his feelings clear at the start of Tuesday morning’s Cabinet meeting. The No10 official said: “The PM opened Cabinet by setting out the importance of the mandate to renew the country. He said distractions had meant our focus had shifted away from where it mattered most, working every day in service of the British people.

“The PM said people were rightly impatient for change and we had to deliver rather than talk about ourselves. That meant working as one team, delivering opportunity and security, and delivering on our mandate.”

In an interview with the Daily Mirror, the Prime Minister hit out at time “wasted” on the leadership speculation. sked if he would lead Labour into the next election, he said: “Yes, I will. Let me be really clear – every minute that’s not spent talking about and dealing with the cost of living is a minute wasted of the political work of this Government.

“That’s my response to last week. I remain utterly focused on what matters to me most, which is bearing down on the cost of living and making people feel better off.”

It comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood admitted the puzzling spat at the top of Government was “deeply embarrassing for everyone concerned”. On Sunday Ms Mahmood dismissed the “tittle tattle” about a potential challenge to the PM – saying insiders should have the “courage of their convictions” and not give anonymous briefings.

Efforts to shore up the PM’s position spectacularly backfired after suggestions that Health Secretary Wes Streeting was plotting a coup caused Labour tensions to boil over.

The furious PM apologised to Mr Streeting and said briefing against his ministers was unacceptable. But speculation continues to bubble over his future and the ambitions of top ministers.

Ms Mahmood said: “I have no time for these things that people say or brief off the record, or any of this, frankly, Westminster bubble tittle-tattle.”

She went on: “If people have things to say, they should have the courage of their convictions and say so publicly, and that is not what is happening.

“I think what happened at the beginning of this week was – with all of those anonymous briefings – unedifying and deeply embarrassing for everyone concerned.”