Housing Secretary Steve Reed is leading a campaign by Cabinet members for Sir Kier Starmer to remain as Prime Minister.

On social media yesterday Reed – who was promoted to Housing Secretary by Starmer six months ago – wrote his support.

“Keir led our party to victory and won a mandate for change” he said.

“Waiting lists are falling, wages are rising, new rights for renters and leaseholders. We need to stay the course and deliver the change this country voted for.”

And Reed’s predecessor, Angela Rayner, said Starmer has her “full support”. 

Rayner, who has been touted as a potential successor to the Labour leader, said in a post on X: “I urge all my colleagues to come together, remember our values and put them into practice as a team. 

“The Prime Minister has my full support in leading us to that end.”

Meanwhile Chancellor Rachel Reeves was one of a clutch of other Cabinet members to break cover and back the PM.

She said: “Rebuilding Britain takes time. 

“But thanks to the decisions we’ve made NHS waiting lists are falling. Inflation is falling. Interest rates are falling. The conditions for the economy to grow are there.

“With Keir as our Prime Minister we are turning the country around.”

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall – a former leadership candidate – took a slightly different approach.

She told Sky News: The cabinet minister said: “It would be wrong after barely 18 months after our election for people to think that they can just change the leader.

“I think that that is not the right approach, but I do believe that we need to steady the ship, but we also need to change course because the public wants to see change in the country. 

“They want a government and a party that they can trust that they believe we need to clean up politics.”o