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"This has scarcely been the government's strongest period since the election," one senior figure in government conceded following political attacks one way and another, partly public, much more in private.

The situation started following anonymous briefings to journalists, including myself, that the Prime Minister would oppose any attempt to remove him - and that senior ministers, such as Wes Streeting, were planning challenges.

Streeting asserted his loyalty remained with the Prime Minister and urged the sources of the briefings to lose their positions, while the Prime Minister announced that negative comments targeting government officials were deemed "unjustifiable".

Doubts concerning whether Starmer had approved the original briefings to identify possible rivals - and whether the individuals responsible were operating with his awareness, or endorsement, were thrown into the mix.

Would there be a probe regarding sources? Would there be dismissals at what Streeting called a "toxic" Number 10 environment?

What could individuals near the prime minister aiming to accomplish?

This reporter has been numerous phone calls to piece together what actually happened and where these developments positions the Labour government.

Exist two key facts central to this situation: the government faces low approval and so is Starmer.

These facts are the rocket fuel underlying the ongoing discussions I hear regarding what the party is planning to address it and potential implications regarding the duration Starmer remains as Prime Minister.

Now considering the fallout of all that political fighting.

Damage Control

The PM and Wes Streeting communicated by phone recently to mend relations.

I hear Sir Keir expressed regret to Wes Streeting in the brief call and both consented to talk in further detail "soon".

Their discussion excluded McSweeney, the prime minister's chief of staff - who has become a focal point for blame from everyone including Tory leader Badenoch publicly to Labour figures both junior and senior confidentially.

Widely credited as the mastermind of the election victory and the political brain responsible for Starmer's rapid ascent following his transition from Director of Public Prosecutions, the chief of staff also finds himself the first to face scrutiny if the Downing Street machine appears to have experienced difficulties or failures.

There's no response to requests for comment, as some call for his head on a stick.

Detractors argue that in government operations where he is expected to handle multiple significant political decisions, he should take responsibility for the current situation.

Others in the building assert no-one who works there initiated any information against a cabinet minister, after Wes Streeting said those accountable ought to be dismissed.

Consequences

In No 10, there's implicit acceptance that the health secretary conducted a round of planned discussions recently with grace, confidence and wit - despite being confronted by persistent queries about his own ambitions as those briefings about him came just hours before.

Among government members, he exhibited a nimbleness and knack for communication they only wish Starmer shared.

Furthermore, it was evident that certain of the reports that aimed to support the PM resulted in a chance for Streeting to state he supported the view from party members who have described the PM's office as toxic and sexist and that the individuals responsible for the briefings must be fired.

What a mess.

"I remain loyal" - the Health Secretary disputes claims to oppose the PM as PM.

Internal Reactions

The prime minister, sources reveal, is "incandescent" about the way these events has unfolded and is looking into the sequence of events.

What seems to have gone awry, according to government sources, involves both volume and emphasis.

Firstly, they had, maybe optimistically, believed that the reports would create certain coverage, but not extensive major coverage.

It turned out far more significant than they had anticipated.

It could be argued a PM letting this kind of thing be revealed, by associates, less than 18 months following a major victory, was always going to be front page significant coverage – exactly as happened, in various publications.

Furthermore, on emphasis, officials claim they didn't anticipate so much talk about Wes Streeting, later significantly increased via numerous discussions he had scheduled on Wednesday morning.

Different sources, certainly, determined that exactly that the purpose.

Political Impact

It has been another few days during which administration members mention learning experiences and on the backbenches many are frustrated at what they see as a ridiculous situation unfolding which requires them to firstly witness subsequently explain.

Ideally avoiding do either.

But a government and a prime minister with anxiety about their predicament exceeds {than their big majority|their parliamentary advantage|their