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Athena Stavrou, Political Reporter

All eyes on Wes

Sir Keir Starmer has spent yet another day dodging threats to end his tenure in No 10.

The prime minister's day began with a highly anticipated and very short visit from who is said to be the main threat to his leadership, Wes Streeting.

The meeting was very brief - less than 20 minutes - and fuelled further speculation that the health secretary is about to turn on the embattled prime minister.

Thankfully for Starmer, the pomp and ceremony of the King's Speech momentarily dampened talk of a coup.

Before long, the rumour mill was churning again, as allies of Streeting claim he has plans to resign tomorrow and launch his bid.

But the prime minister showed no sign of acting on such reports, with Downing Street insisting Sir Keir still has "full confidence" in the health secretary.

As the Westminster psychodrama rolls into another day, all eyes are on Streeting to make his move.

Daily debrief

How Labour’s civil war could crash the economy, Liz Truss-style

It might get to the stage where the Bank of England feels the need to act as it did when the disastrous ‘mini-Budget’ crisis was at its worst, says James Moore

How Starmer can reassert his authority by sacking Wes Streeting

With Wes Streeting now expected to resign, the prime minister had little to lose – and much more to gain – by sacking him early but has even failed this test of strength, says political editor David Maddox

Why ‘Gawky’ Angela Rayner and not ‘Geeky’ Ed Miliband should be the left’s ‘Stop Wes’ candidate

The mischievous former deputy leader has an authenticity and charm that would appeal to the electorate – unlike the uncharismatic energy secretary, says Simon Walters

What else you need to know

Nigel Farage is set to face an investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner over a gift of £5m he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne before becoming an MP.
The government is facing higher costs for borrowing money with experts warning Rachel Reeves’ room for spending could be cut by as much as £6bn this year if bond yields remain elevated.
Flat owners are set to gain new rights to request faster broadband as part of reforms to overhaul the leasehold system.

The pantomime of parliament has never looked more absurd

John Rentoul, Chief Political Commentator

I wrote before the King’s Speech that there was a danger that the combination of pageantry and plotting would make the government look out of touch with the voters who made their views clear in the elections last week.

It already looks too late to stop Labour plunging into a leadership contest – there is a terrible danger that the party is about to make a bad situation worse.

Read the whole thing here.

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