Sir Keir Starmer’s grip on Labour is facing fresh scrutiny after reports that Ed Miliband has been shunning the Prime Minister amid growing tensions over spending cuts, Cabinet divisions and the looming threat posed by Andy Burnham.
The Energy Secretary is said to have clashed repeatedly with Sir Keir over plans to divert funding from Net Zero programmes into defence spending, as Downing Street scrambles to respond to mounting security pressures.
According to reports, Mr Miliband declined calls from the Prime Minister during a dispute over departmental budgets, fuelling speculation about a deepening rift at the heart of Government. A source close to the former Labour leader rejected suggestions he was deliberately avoiding Sir Keir, insisting the pair did eventually speak.
The episode nevertheless highlights growing tensions inside a Government increasingly consumed by questions about its future direction.
Mr Miliband ultimately accepted a one per cent reduction to his department’s budget, but reports suggest he remains on Downing Street’s internal “resignation watch” list amid concerns that further clashes could trigger a Cabinet departure.
The political stakes are rising rapidly because the dispute comes as Andy Burnham edges closer to a return to Westminster through the Makerfield by-election.
The Greater Manchester Mayor is widely expected to win the seat, instantly placing one of Labour’s most influential figures back at the centre of national politics. Allies of Mr Burnham have already been linked to discussions about a post-Starmer future, with speculation mounting over who could occupy senior Cabinet positions under an alternative leadership team.
Mr Miliband, who led Labour between 2010 and 2015, has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Chancellor should a Burnham-led administration emerge.
For Sir Keir, the timing could hardly be worse. He is already facing pressure from sections of the parliamentary party unhappy with Labour’s direction, while former health secretary Wes Streeting has openly discussed the prospect of a leadership challenge.
The resignation of former Defence Secretary John Healey last week has only heightened nerves inside Government, with Labour officials reportedly caught off guard by the departure.
Taken together, the developments paint a picture of a Government increasingly distracted by internal battles just as it faces difficult decisions on defence, public spending and economic policy.
Whether the tensions amount to routine Cabinet disagreements or the early stages of a wider struggle for Labour’s future may depend on events in Makerfield. But for Downing Street, the sight of a former Labour leader reportedly at odds with the Prime Minister will do little to dispel growing questions about Sir Keir’s authority.
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