Keir Starmer is hoping for a respite from the Labour maelstrom today as he heads on his latest foreign mission.
The PM is arriving at the Munich Security Conference this afternoon after the Mandelson scandal nearly sparked his ousting from No10.
Aides are hoping that the focus on international issues, plus the fact that MPs have dispersed for a week-long Commons recess, can ease the pressure somewhat.
However, many in Westminster still believe Sir Keir’s days in Downing Street are numbered with rivals circling, the Gorton & Denton by-election looming, and the prospect of disastrous local polls in May.
In Munich, Sir Keir is expected to launch a push for more Western cooperation on weapons development and procurement.
The intervention comes after tensions with the EU over demanding billions of pounds for the UK to participate in its scheme.
The PM will hold meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron in the afternoon, before giving a speech tomorrow morning.
Keir Starmer is arriving at the Munich Security Conference this afternoon after the Mandelson scandal nearly sparked his ousting from No10
Sir Keir endured 24 hours of deathly silence from the Cabinet after the exit of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on Sunday
Donald Trump is not attending, but has sent Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Last year Vice President JD Vance caused a storm by condemning European countries – including the UK – over free speech and immigration.
Sir Keir returned from China barely a fortnight ago, and is acutely aware of public scepticism about his globetrotting. Aides are now said to be looking for a 20-80 per cent split of his time between domestic and foreign affairs.
He has been talking about the cost of living crisis at all opportunities in an effort to demonstrate he is in tune with the concerns of ordinary Brits.
One aide told Politico that in the depths of the crisis this week Sir Keir ‘just wanted to make it to Munich’.
Sir Keir endured 24 hours of deathly silence from the Cabinet after the exit of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on Sunday.
Senior ministers only finally surfaced to prop him up when it became clear Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was about to publicly demand his resignation.
But rumours are swirling about what deals Sir Keir must have cut to survive, with signs of a lurch to the Left and more ‘class war’ language.
Labour sources have been trying to put a positive spin on the prospects of holding on in Gorton & Denton, despite Reform and the Greens sounding bullish about their chances.
A Labour insider pointed to a poll suggesting Sir Keir’s personal ratings had improved over the past month – albeit they are still dire
One told the Daily Mail No10 aides were doing ‘daily’ calls with the ‘ground team’.
The source insisted the Mandelson issues did not seem to be coming up strongly on the doorstep, although they acknowledged it had cut through with the public more widely.
‘It’s good vibes at the moment,’ they added.
Another Labour insider pointed to a poll suggesting Sir Keir’s personal ratings had improved over the past month – albeit they are still dire.
‘I think many people – not just the parliamentary party – may have looked over the precipice and not liked what they saw,’ they said.
