Starmer’s team has ‘gone into the bunker’ since cabinet reshuffle, says Labour MP – UK politics live

After Angela Rayner resigned and Peter Mandelson was sacked, Labour MPs have begun to ask whether Starmer could be challenged as PM

Backbench Labour MP Olivia Blake said it feels like Keir Starmer’s operation has “gone into the bunker”.

Discussing last week’s reshuffle, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:

It does feel like they’ve gone into the bunker, but they’ve actually thrown half the people out of the bunker at the moment, and we need to get back to a much more inclusive parliamentary Labour party (PLP), inclusive discussions happening with ministers and better representation around the cabinet table.

After a disastrous week in which Angela Rayner resigned and Peter Mandelson was sacked as ambassador to Washington, Labour MPs have begun to ask whether Starmer could be challenged as prime minister.