Wes Streeting has accused allies of Keir Starmer of trying to “kneecap” him after he was accused of plotting to bring down the prime minister.

The health secretary said those behind the briefing against him had been “watching too much Celebrity Traitors”.

“This is just about the worst attack I’ve seen on a faith since Joe Mahler was kicked out and banished in the final,” he said.

“It’s totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it’s not true, and I don’t understand why anyone thinks it’s helpful to the prime minister either to suggest he’s fighting for his job at a time when ... he’s fighting for the country and trying to turn it around from the absolute mess that we inherited.”

No.10 sources briefed several media outlets that Streeting is planning to mount a leadership cha

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