Starmer’s biographer reveals how PM is reacting to leadership threat

As Sir Keir Starmer battles for his political survival, the prime minister’s former biographer has told The Independent the PM ‘doesn’t want to be David Cameron’ and walk away. “I think he's deeply frustrated. I think he feels enormous damage has been done,” said Tom Baldwin, who published the Labour leader’s unauthorised biography in 2024. “David Cameron, 2016, that sort of started this whole cycle of prime ministers being defenestrated. The day after the Brexit vote, a referendum that he didn't need to call but called, he just walked away.” His comments come amid reports that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is preparing to resign and launch a leadership bid, following crunch talks with the prime minister. “Keir is a very complicated man, and He has deep emotions which we don't always see. He is stubborn. He's proud. He doesn't want to leave this way,” Baldwin added.