Health Secretary Wes Streeting is set to launch his bid to oust Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday. Mr Streeting confronted his boss over the crisis engulfing Labour as the pair met for crunch talks on Wednesday morning - which lasted less than 20 minutes - in Downing Street ahead of the King's Speech.
It comes after Angela Rayner said she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing in an investigation over her tax affairs, paving the way for a potential leadership bid amid uncertainty over Sir Keir's future.
Mr Streeting is believed to have told allies he is preparing to quit Government on Thursday and run for the top job. Reports of Mr Streeting's plan emerged shortly before the King's Speech, threatening to overshadow the Government's efforts to carry on as usual by setting out its legislative agenda for the coming parliamentary session.
Sir Keir has managed to cling on to power and see off an immediate threat to his leadership in the last few days, despite the resignation of four ministers, some of whom are close to Mr Streeting, and at least 86 MPs demanding he stands down.
THIS IS A LIVE BLOG. FOLLOW FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...
Visit express.co.uk for live updates.
-
Odisha Vigilance Recovers Multiple Buildings, 7 Plots & Cash During Raids On Bhadrak Jr Engineer
-
UP plans new tourism push with heritage weddings and domestic travel focus
-
Kolkata Police DCP appears before ED in extortion, land-grabbing probe
-
Former soap star named among Britain's 12 most wanted for £13.6m fraud
-
Incredible moment brazen shoplifter steals entire display from shop
