Starmer pleads for government to unite in fightback after difficult week

Prime minister tells cabinet budget leaks and infighting are distracting from priorities and delivering change

Keir Starmer has warned senior ministers and officials to stop briefing against one another and leaking details of the budget as he pleaded for his embattled government to unite.

The prime minister told his weekly cabinet meeting that last week’s political turmoil had distracted from voters’ priorities, and ministers needed to work together and start delivering rather than talking about the government itself.