Sir Keir Starmer has suggested his Labour leadership rivals risk handing power to Nigel Farage by creating chaos ahead of the next General Election.
The Prime Minister, who committed to remaining in No10 next year, compared rumblings about a leadership challenge to the Tory Party’s catastrophic defeat in 2024.
After Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister in September 2022, the Conservatives were forced to hold two snap leadership contests, with Liz Truss’s brief stint in No10 inflicting a huge wound on the Tory Party’s reputation for economic prudence.
Speaking to the BBC, Sir Keir said: “Under the last Government, we saw constant chopping and changing of leadership, of teams, it caused utter chaos, utter chaos, and it’s amongst the reasons that the Tories were booted out so effectively at the last election.
“Nobody wants to go back to that. It’s not in our national interest.
“We know from that evidence what happens if you go down that chaotic path, and I’m not going to take us back to that kind of chaos.”
He added: “I will be sitting in this seat by 2027 and if this long-form interview works, we can try it again in January of next year as well.”
However, the Prime Minister also pointed out he is committed to deliver on his “five-year mandate”.
The Prime Minister also pointed out he is committed to deliver on his ‘five-year mandate’
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Despite warning leadership rivals against moving to topple him, the Prime Minister’s net approval rating has collapsed to minus 58 per cent.
Opinion polls now put Reform UK significantly ahead of Labour, with More in Common suggesting Nigel Farage could command a thumping majority if a snap poll was held today.
Reform UK would win 381 seats with its support surging to 31 per cent, More in Common’s MRP poll revealed.
Meanwhile, Labour would slump to just 85 seats, a loss of 326 seats.
Nigel Farage topped yet another MRP poll this morning
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The Tories and Liberal Democrats would also suffer losses, dropping to just 70 and 35 seats respectively.
However, the SNP could return 40 MPs and the Green Party would likely double its Commons contingent to nine.
Mr Farage is already setting his sights on the 2026 Local Elections, with the Welsh Parliament Election also emerging as a major opportunity for Reform UK.
Speaking in his New Year message, Mr Farage said: “I’ll make this prediction: if Reform win those elections, if we come top, it will put us way ahead of the other parties. Already, we’ve led for 175 opinion polls in a row.
Sir Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham have developed a frosty relationship over the past few months
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PA“Our average lead is 10 per cent. If we get this right on May 7 this year, we will go on and win that general election. We will then absolutely have a chance of genuinely, fundamentally, change the whole system of government in Britain.”
He added: “We will then absolutely have a chance of genuinely, fundamentally changing the whole system of government in Britain. We may well be the last chance this country has to actually restore some proper values.”
However, Sir Keir is believed to be facing a challenge from within his own ranks.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is mooted to mount a bid against the Prime Minister.
Sir Keir will face his first test on January 16 as anti-Brexit Labour MPs look set to vote in favour of a Private Members’ Bill demanding the UK rejoins the EU’s customs union
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Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has repeatedly refused to rule out wanting the keys to No10.
Sir Keir will face his first test on January 16 as anti-Brexit Labour MPs look set to vote in favour of a Private Members’ Bill demanding the UK rejoins the EU’s customs union.
The Prime Minister has rejected calls to break his 2024 manifesto commitment.
Sir Keir this morning warned that rejoining the customs union could torpedo post-Brexit trade deals, including with India.