Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street for PMQs.

It must have seemed like a good idea at the time.

Sources close to Keir Starmer briefed journalists that the prime minister was aware of rumours about a challenge to his leadership, but would fight anyone who tried to remove him from No.10.

They also let it be known that, in their view, health secretary Wes Streeting was the chief plotter working behind the scenes to hasten the PM’s demise.

Within minutes of the story appearing on Tuesday evening, Labour MPs’ WhatsApps were ablaze with a mixture of fury and bemusement.

Why did Downing Street believe it was a good idea to openly admit that Starmer’s leadership is under threat, they wondered.

Others pointed out that by pointing the finger at Streeting, they had kicked off an entirely needless cabinet civil war.

One MP said: “The briefing that Keir will fight on despite only having the support of a couple of ministers and a few people who’d sell their soul for a red box, without any regard for the future of the Labour Party or the electoral prospects of colleagues, just shows how divorced........

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