Labour suffer fresh humiliation as own supporters turn on them: 'I'm appalled'

A Labour commentator has launched a blistering attack on the party as the crisis within government continues to unfold. Keir Starmer is facing his biggest leadership crisis since becoming prime minister almost two years ago, with a leadership contest expected to kick off. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting sensationally resigned from his cabinet role, and issued a damning letter telling Sir Keir the nation doesn't know "who we are or what we really stand for".

Meanwhile, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham plans to return to Westminster as an MP, which would allow him to stand for the Labour leadership and potentially become prime minister. With Sir Keir's government in meltdown, critics from all sides have come out to slam the Labour Party.

This includes Labour commentator Matthew Stadlen, who admitted he is "appalled" by what he described as the "shambles" within the party this week.

Speaking to Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello on GB News, Stadlen said: "I'm appalled by it. I think this has been a shambles this week. This is a Labour Party that I voted for in the last election. It's a Labour government that I want to see. It's a Labour government that I want to keep Nigel Farage out of Number 10."

He noted that the party's internal drama came in the same week that the UK recorded the strongest economic growth in the G7, while it was also announced that Nigel Farage would face a watchdog inquiry into whether he breached the rules by failing to declare a £5 million gift from a cryptocurrency tycoon.

Not only this, it was also a week when Green Party leader Zack Polanski was exposed for failing to pay the correct amount of council tax on his £100,000 London houseboat.

Stadlen remarked that this was the week "Labour decided to enter a civil war".

He continued: "The way they've gone about it is just embarrassing. It's amateur by some of these MPs. What on earth is going on? I just don't get it.

"What do these rebels think is going to happen if they replace Keir Starmer in Number 10? There will be feverish calls for a general election. The very people who have been trying to kick out Keir Starmer - political enemies of Labour - are going to say there's no mandate because Labour members have chosen the prime minister."

Stadlen then launched into a scathing attack on Andy Burnham, saying that while he would wish him success if he ever became prime minister, he has serious doubts about whether he is capable of doing the job.

He declared: "I would want him to do well, but what's he done in Manchester? He's capped bus fares at two pounds and taken them into public ownership. Is that seriously some sort of recipe for turning around the fortunes of this country and improving things where Keir Starmer is seen not to have done well enough?

"I don't think Keir Starmer has been a brilliant prime minister. I think he's been underwhelming. But he was the leader of the Labour Party when they got a 174-seat majority.

"Now we think some chap who's been running Manchester, when Manchester did badly in the local elections for Labour, we think he's somehow the king across the water who's going to come and save Labour and save the country. This is political naivety at the highest order!"