Wes Streeting's brilliant Traitors reply as he denies plot to oust Keir Starmer

'I think whoever's been briefing this has been watching too many episodes of Celebrity Traitors. This is just about the worst attack on a faithful since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final'

Wes Streeting has said briefing about a Labour leadership challenge is "self-defeating" and "doesn't help anyone", as he denied plotting to oust the Prime Minister.

The Health Secretary this morning compared the civil war to an episode of Celebrity Traitors, saying this is "the worst attack on a faithful" since rugby star Joe Marler was banished in last week's BBC final. He backed the PM and said he was completely behind him.

It comes as the Government plunged into civil war last night as the Health Secretary was forced to deny plotting a coup against Mr Starmer. Speculation about the Prime Minister's future exploded after Downing Street mounted an extraordinary bid to shore up his leadership amid fears his position could be under threat.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Mr Streeting said: "I think whoever's been briefing this has been watching too many episodes of Celebrity Traitors. This is just about the worst attack on a faithful since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final. It's totally self-defeating briefing, not least because it's not true, and I don't understand how anyone thinks it's helpful to the Prime Minister."

Mr Streeting hit out at a series of extraordinary comments briefed out last night, including a "silly" person in Downing Street. A cabinet minister also last night said he was at the mercy of newbie 2024 MPs who were "feral" in trying to oust the PM.

He said: "I do think going out and calling your Labour MPs feral is not very helpful. I do think trying to kneecap one of your own team when they are out not just making the case for the government but actually delivering the change that we promised - I think that is also self-defeating and self-destructive behaviour.

"I also think whoever did this doesn't speak for the Prime Minister. I speak for the Prime Minister. That's why I was asked to come on this morning to talk about the reform agenda in the NHS."

He also said new deputy leader Lucy Powell - who has previously hit out at briefing against her - was "right about the culture in No10" and commends the briefer against him for at least "picking on one of the men instead of the women in the Cabinet". Asked if the PM should sack the people briefing, Mr Streeting told BBC's Today programme: "Yes, but he's got to find them first."

Allies of the PM last night sought to warn plotters by saying it would be irresponsible to displace Mr Starmer and made it clear he would fight any leadership challenge. But critics accused No10 of going into "complete bunker mode" - and said they have "shot themselves in the face".

Mr Streeting was among the Cabinet Ministers named as possible plotters against the PM amid fears in No10 that Mr Starmer could face some sort of challenge after the Budget on November 26.

He told BBC Breakfast he could not see any circumstances in which he would challenge Mr Starmer for the Labour leadership. Asked whether he would rule out standing against the PM in the future, he said: "I cannot see circumstances in which I would do that to our Prime Minister."

He added: "I also think that taking on that job feels like more of a punishment than anything else at the moment, given how hard the Prime Minister's job is, that's why he's got full support.

"That's why I constantly support him in the job that he's doing. And I've always been a team player. That is how I do things, and that's how I will always do things."

Some briefings against Mr Streeting were blamed on No10. But one Downing Street insider described him as a brilliant Health Secretary and brushed off the rumours as speculation.

Bassetlaw MP Jo White told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "Our enemies love nothing more than when we start fighting like dogs in public, and my message to those MPs who are running around with their tails held high: That this is neither the time or the place.

"This is a group of people who think they're much cleverer than the rest of us, who spend their time selectively briefing journalists and stirring the pot. I want to simply say: We're not having it. I'm not aware of a single person in the red wall group who's involved in this. And if anyone, including Wes Streeting, wants to make a move, they would have to speak to us. He's a London MP and it hasn't happened and it's not true."

Ms White added: "I'd like to say to No 10, I think they're barking up the wrong tree, briefing against Wes. I've known Wes since he was NUS president. He's one of the tiny handful of MPs who came up to Bassetlaw to help me with my election. He's only just recently written a really kind letter to one of my members who lost her husband. And I think I'd know - he'd tell me if he was manoeuvring."