SIR Keir Starmer risks his MPs going “on strike” following the anonymous attacks from No10.
Government sources said several backbenchers have been refusing to cooperate with requests to attend debates in the Commons.
It comes after Downing Street aides stoked a Labour civil war by claiming Wes Streeting was plotting a leadership coup.
Some MPs were also particularly incensed to see the Times quoting a Cabinet Minister describing the new 2024 intake as “feral”.
Sir Keir yesterday tried to defuse the row by saying he is “assured” that none of his No10 team were behind this week’s briefings.
On a visit to North Wales he said: “Any briefing against ministers is completely unacceptable.
“That is not a new position for me, it is a position I have adopted ever since I became Prime Minister.
“I have made it very clear to my team. I have been talking to my team today. I have been assured that no briefing against ministers was done from No 10 but I have made it clear that I find it absolutely unacceptable.”
The PM was forced to make a humiliating telephone apology to Mr Streeting over the botched briefing war.
The Health Secretary refused to be drawn on the “juvenile” anonymous comments against him.
Asked who he thought was behind it, he responded: “Don’t know, don’t care.”
Mr Streeting added: “That’s yesterday’s news and it’s Westminster bubble stuff that doesn’t mean anything to anyone.
“I don’t think voters give two monkeys about what on earth is going on in the sort of Westminster village soap opera.”
Sir Keir also declared he “of course” retains full confidence in his embattled top aide Morgan McSweeny.
Despite calls for Mr McSweeny to be sacked, the PM insisted that following personal inquiries, he was “assured that no briefing against ministers was done from No 10”.
The PM will now hold a leak inquiry into who made the accusations against the Cabinet Minister.
Meanwhile, Labour party chair Anna Turley said Sir Keir is now looking into the source of the attacks.
She told ITV: “He is going to investigate and we’ll see what happens as a consequence of that.
“But the reality is, he’s absolutely clear, this is not in his name. This is not what he wants to see and he’s determined to drive it out.”
She added: “He was not aware of this briefing… He’s going to take action in this to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Senior Number 10 sources had said the PM would fight any leadership challenge. The PM said that he hadn’t authorised any attacks on his colleague.
The unrest in the party comes as Labour’s poll ratings are dismal as they fall behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
