Sir Keir Starmer has warned cabinet members against talking “about ourselves” after civil war and a series of Budget leaks have rocked the government.
The prime minister told ministers that “distractions” in recent weeks meant the government’s focus had “shifted from where it mattered most”, and called for unity after an extraordinary briefing spat in which it was suggested that health secretary Wes Streeting was plotting a leadership bid.
It comes after a chaotic series of briefings last week, in which the PM was said to be ready to defend any leadership challenge, and after the government U-turned on its apparent plans to increase income tax at the Budget later this month, as Rachel Reeves looks to plug the gap in the public finances.
A readout of the cabinet’s weekly meeting issued by No 10 on Tuesday said: “The prime minister opened cabinet by setting out the importance of the government’s mandate to renew the country.
“He said distractions meant our focus [had] shifted from where it mattered most – working every day in the service of the British people.
“The prime minister said next week’s Budget would prioritise rebuilding the economy, showing what the government stands for.
“The prime minister said people were rightly impatient for change and we had to deliver that, rather than talk about ourselves. That meant working as one team, delivering opportunity and security and delivering on our mandate.”
The distractions the prime minister was referring to relate to briefings about a plot to unseat him and various disclosures about what may or may not be in next week’s Budget.
It came after Sir Keir used an interview with the Daily Mirror to insist that he would lead Labour into the next general election.
Pressed on whether talking about his premiership showed that the prime minister himself was distracted, his spokesperson told reporters: “The PM, as that interview indicates, is entirely focused on delivering for the British people.
“You see in his language in that interview his intention to particularly prioritise the cost of living, which he knows is a concern for everyone in this country.”
The assertion that Sir Keir would stay in his role until the next election came as figures from YouGov suggested that 23 per cent of Labour voters think he should quit the top job now.
A further 22 per cent think he should stand down before the next election, due to be held in 2029 at the latest, while only 34 per cent think he should still be leading Labour by then.
Sir Keir faced turmoil within his party last week after briefings suggested that Mr Streeting was preparing a leadership challenge, an assertion the health secretary has denied.
The No 10 operation was thrown into the spotlight, but the PM later said he had been assured that no one within Downing Street was responsible for the briefings.
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