Ed Miliband calls on Keir Starmer to fire anonymous whistleblower

Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls from senior ministers to sack whoever is behind media briefings that the prime minister faces a leadership challenge.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Health Secretary Wes Streeting were named as possible rivals in the anonymous briefings; Now both ask that whoever was behind them be found and fired.

It comes as Sir Keir apologized to Streeting for the episode, about which the Prime Minister is said to be “incandescent”.

It has intensified pressure on the prime minister’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who is seen by some – including senior government figures – as ultimately responsible for the briefings as well as the overall culture within No 10.

Both Streeting and Miliband stopped short of publicly criticizing McSweeney, and on Wednesday Streeting made it a point to praise his role in Labour’s general election victory.

Speaking to the BBC, Miliband said it had been “a bad couple of days” and added: “We have to learn the lessons from this episode and say this is not where we should be focusing.”

He said he was confident the Prime Minister would want to find out who the anonymous whistleblower was and “get rid of him if he can find out.”

“He hates that things are leaked, he hates that cabinet colleagues are informed against it.

“People listening to this show might think ‘if he hates it, why can’t he stop it?’

“The truth is, sometimes these things happen. There are noises and you can never know where they come from.”

Some Labor MPs have discussed Miliband’s name as another possible rival to the prime minister.

Asked if he would rule out returning as Labor leader, he replied: “Yes.”

And he added: “I had the best vaccination technique against the desire to be leader of the Labor Party, and that is that I was leader of the Labor Party, between 2010 and 2015.

“I have the shirt, that chapter is closed.”

Sir Keir apologized to Streeting in a brief phone call on Wednesday night, however the health secretary’s supporters are said to be irritated as the briefing against him continues.

Those around the Health Secretary argue that “this type of reporting culture followed Keir Starmer from opposition to government.”

There are a dwindling number of advisers who were with Sir Keir in opposition and who still work for him.

McSweeney is one of them and the highest ranking. He was approached for comment and did not respond.

Speaking to the Prime Minister, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir had “lost control of his government… and lost the confidence of the British people”.

He said McSweeney was responsible for the culture at No 10 and asked if the Prime Minister still had confidence in him.

Sir Keir responded: “Morgan McSweeney, my team and I are absolutely focused on delivering for the country.

“Let me be clear, of course, I have never authorized attacks on cabinet members, I appointed them to their positions because they are the best people to carry out their jobs.”

He added that “any attack on any member of my cabinet is completely unacceptable” and specifically praised Streeting for doing a “great job”.

Speaking after PMQs, the Prime Minister’s press secretary told reporters that the reports against Streeting had come “from outside No 10” and that the Prime Minister had full confidence in McSweeney.

The spokesperson declined to say whether there was an investigation into leaks, but said the leaks would be “addressed.”