Dark horse Labour leadership contender Al Carns is ready to run for the top job. The former special forces colonel and pull-up champion won’t start the firing gun – but if the trigger is pulled he is prepared to join the race. The news will no doubt delight the women and gays of Westminster. But what do MPs make of the military cross recipient?
One backbencher tells Mr S:
I find him to be an impressive, decent and serious man. He’s clearly got abundant relevant experience to his role in government and I think he has a bright future.
While it’s currently unlikely Carns can hit the magic 81 number of backers needed to run a campaign, he could find himself as an unexpected powerbroker, teaming up with whichever contender promises him a Defence Secretary role.
Last night Carns was spotted schmoozing MPs in parliament’s infamous Strangers’ bar, looking suspiciously happy for a minister operating in an imploding government. A source said: ‘Al Carns was certainly holding court – or being courted – depending on your view.’
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for one Wes Streeting. Westminster is divided on whether the Health Secretary truly has the numbers to pull the trigger… or not. Allies of Streeting this morning claimed that ‘things are shifting’. There is some belief in his team that more cabinet ministers will head to No.10 today and urge Sir Keir Starmer to get out, saving the Health Secretary the risk of going over the top first. But the Prime Minister is digging his heels is and is absolute that he is going nowhere.
The only thing that is clear right now is that the current stalemate is completely unsustainable. Someone will have to move today… the question is who?
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