Wes Streeting , who is widely seen as a leadership hopeful, is set to meet with Keir Starmer today after the prime minister defied calls to quit.
The health secretary will meet the embattled PM ahead of King Charles’ speech at the ceremonial state opening of Parliament.
Buckingham Palace is reported to have told Sir Keir’s officials that the monarch does not want to be dragged into the Labour leadership crisis.
Jess Phillips, Alex Davies-Jones, junior minister Miatta Fahnbulleh and Health Minister Zubir Ahmed have all resigned and implored Sir Keir “to act in the country’s interest and set out a timetable for your departure.” Plus at least 80 Labour MPs have called for a leadership change.
But a defiant Sir Keir told his Cabinet earlier he “will not quit” – and urged them to back him amid what has been seen as the biggest crisis of his premiership.
It comes as more than 100 Labour MPs have signed a statement urging Sir Keir Starmer not to stand down saying “this is no time for a leadership contest”.
The fresh statement, signed by 103 MPs, tells colleagues they must start “working together”.
What’s happening today?
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to hold talks with health secretary Wes Streeting this morning, one of his key rivals for the Labour leadership after four ministers resigned and more than 80 MPs called for the prime minister to quit.
The House of Commons will hold a ceremony for the King’s Speech before Charles sets out the government’s legislative agenda for the year ahead in the House of Lords.
The government will then debate the King’s Speech this afternoon.
Starmer believed to have ‘seen off Wes’ amid coup allegations
Sir Keir Starmer is believed to have seen off an alleged coup by health secretary Wes Streeting, according to texts seen by the BBC from a cabinet minister.
The unnamed cabinet minister said, per the messages: “’I think we’ve seen off Wes, what a day.
“’I don’t see how Wes can stay in Cabinet with any self-respect after this fiasco.'”
Mr Streeting is expected to hold talks with the prime minister this morning after more than 100 MPs joined calls for Sir Keir to resign, according to The Times.
King should be kept out of Starmer’s leadership crisis
King Charles is set to lead a centuries-old tradition in parliament on Wednesday and deliver the King’s Speech in the House of Lords.
But following Keir Starmer’s leadership crisis, Buckingham Palace privately asked whether King Charles should proceed as planned.
It has been reported that the king’s team outlined to Starmer’s officials that the King should be kept out of the political crisis and not be used for political ends.
“The Palace view is ‘we do not want to be any part of this conversation — do not bring us into it,’” said one of the people familiar with the matter, according to Politico.
Rebecca Whittaker13 May 2026 06:00
Watch: Defiant Starmer challenges cabinet to put up or shut up on leadership coup
Rebecca Whittaker13 May 2026 05:00
The Government has appointed four new ministers and three new whips
The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:
- Nesil Caliskan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Natalie Fleet MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office
- Catherine Atkinson MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Preet Kaur Gill MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Gen Kitchen MP as Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip)
- Deirdre Costigan MP as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Shaun Davies MP as Assistant Whip, House of Commons
Rebecca Whittaker13 May 2026 04:00
MP ‘surprised’ to see her name on a list supporting Keir Starmer
Labour MP Rupa Huq has denied signing a letter in support of the Prime Minister and said she was “surprised” to see her name on the list.
More than 100 MPs were listed on the letter, which said it is “no time for a leadership contest”, including Ms Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton.
In a post on X, she said: “Surprised to see my name on this list when I haven’t either signed any letter supporting the PM or called for the PM to go??
“Not very courteous of colleagues to put names down without their approval.”
Rebecca Whittaker13 May 2026 03:00
Watch: Trump says Starmer is ‘windmilling his country to death’
Rebecca Whittaker13 May 2026 02:00
Government approval rating at just 14 per cent
The approval ratings for Sir Keir Starmer’s government are sitting at just 14 per cent, new data shows.
Polling from YouGov suggests a disapproval rating of 70 per cent, up six per cent from last week’s survey.
Rebecca Whittaker13 May 2026 01:00
Watch: The Labour candidates who could replace Keir Starmer as prime minister
Rebecca Whittaker12 May 2026 23:45
Wes Streeting set to hold talks with Keir Starmer tomorrow
Health secretary Wes Streeting is set to hold talks with the prime minister tomorrow morning, after more than 100 MPs have joined calls for Keir Starmer to quit.
He is expected to ask Starmer how he plans to “get us out of this mess” and talk about the “turbulence” that is gripping the Labour Party, The Times has reported.
Rebecca Whittaker12 May 2026 23:15NewerOlder