Gone in 16 minutes: Wes Streeting 'preparing to resign and trigger leadership contest' after Starmer showdown

The health secretary confronted Sir Keir during a 16 minute showdown in Downing Street ahead of the King's Speech. After the meeting stony-faced Mr Streeting left No10 without commenting to waiting reporters.

Allies of Mr Streeting told The Times that he is “going to go for it”. They said that he is likely to resign on Thursday and mount a formal challenge for the leadership.

One Streeting ally told the newspaper: “He is going to go for it. He’s going tomorrow.”

The talks with Streeting, seen as one of the key rivals for the Labour leadership, come after Sir Keir has so far managed to see off an immediate threat this week despite ministerial resignations and at least 80 MPs calling for him to quit.

But on Wednesday morning, unions pulled their support, saying it is clear that Sir Keir will not lead Labour into the next election.

Sir Keir’s camp has suggested there is no consensus in Labour about having a leadership contest.

Read more: Starmer's last throw of the dice? PM facing crunch King's Speech and showdown with Streeting

Read more: Unions call for plan to elect new leader as Labour 'cannot continue on current path'

Earlier, cabinet office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told Breakfast with Nick Ferrari that the pair were simply getting a coffee and that they work "very well together".

Mr Thomas-Symonds told Ferrari: “I understand they're going in - he's going in for a coffee at Number 10.

"I have to tell you, Nick, when I was around last night, I didn't get a coffee, so I might have to raise that. Raise the way I've been treated last night.

"But look, that's obviously up to Wes. But I've seen the Prime Minister and Wes together many, many times. They work very well together, as it happens.”

The Government is seeking to carry on as usual by setting out its legislative agenda for the coming parliamentary session in the King’s Speech on Wednesday.

The SNP has said it will seek to force a vote on Sir Keir Starmer’s future in an amendment to the King’s Speech.

New SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan said: “If the Labour Cabinet ministers don’t have the decency to do the right thing – then Parliament must.

“Unless they put an end to this chaos now, the SNP will table a motion of no confidence in Keir Starmer to draw things to a close.” Meanwhile, UK long-term borrowing costs eased back after reaching a 28-year high on Tuesday as Sir Keir continues to defy calls to stand down.

However, Labour’s affiliated unions have called for a plan to be put in place for the election of a new leader of the Labour Party.

A statement from the TULO group, which represents 11 unions, said Labour “cannot continue on its current path”.

The unions, including Unite, Unison and the GMB, said: “It’s clear that the Prime Minister will not lead Labour into the next election, and at some stage a plan will have to be put in place for the election of a new Leader.”

Mr Streeting is among several Labour figures said to have ambitions to succeed Sir Keir, but has reportedly backed down from launching an immediate leadership bid. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, a leading figure from the soft-left of the party widely seen as a contender, would first need an MP willing to stand aside so he could fight a by-election and chart a path back to Parliament.

Sources close to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have denied reports that he is preparing to run if Mr Streeting triggers a contest.

The Prime Minister meanwhile has sought to push on, already having replaced four ministers – including prominent MP Jess Phillips and health minister Zubir Ahmed, an ally of Mr Streeting – who quit the Government and called for Sir Keir to stand down.

Glasgow South West MP Mr Ahmed, who is an ally of the Health Secretary, said the situation was “unsustainable” and said it was “telling” that the whole Cabinet had not articulated support for the Prime Minister in the “full-throated way” they had previously.

“I think people who are articulating their dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister in private, they do have a responsibility to say that in public and directly to him, because this situation is unsustainable. It is now unstable and I think, therefore, we do need an expedient and orderly transition,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.