Starmer began the day damaged and then things got worse

A growing number of Labour MPs are in no mood to heed calls from the PM’s allies to keep faith with their leader

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“Has Keir done enough to survive?” was the question anxious Labour MPs were asking each other throughout Monday, after the speech regarded by many as crucial to Starmer’s chances of political survival.

But the anxiety for many of them, badly bruised by Thursday’s election crushing, did not stem from concern the prime minister might be ousted. But that he would not.