Keir Starmer’s cabinet have rallied around the prime minister after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called on him to resign.
On Monday, Sarwar called for Starmer to step down as prime minister, saying the “distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.”
This came after the resignation of Starmer’s director of communications Tim Allan, the day after the PM’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney quit.
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But almost immediately after Sarwar started giving his speech, senior members of Starmer’s cabinet – who had so far been quiet on matters – released statements of support for the prime minister.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, justice secretary David Lammy, energy secretary Ed Miliband, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, defence secretary John Healy, and housing secretary Steve Reed all posted messages of support on social media within minutes of each other.
Meanwhile, health secretary Wes Streeting and technology secretary Liz Kendall both told Sky’s Beth Rigby that they believe Starmer should stay on as prime minister.
This was followed by a statement from home secretary Shabana Mahmood, meaning all cabinet ministers have now backed Starmer to continue as prime minister.
Along with ministers, Angela Rayner – who has recently emerged as the bookies’ favourite to take over from Starmer as Labour leader – said the PM has her “full support.”
She said in a post on social media that the “worst possible response” to the Peter Mandelson scandal would be “to play party politics or factional games.”