Wes Streeting has said suggestions from the prime minister's allies that he is seeking to challenge for the leadership are "self-defeating nonsense" and has urged Sir Keir Starmer to sack whoever is briefing the media.

On Tuesday evening, friends of Sir Keir Starmer said his job might be under immediate threat and that they were particularly suspicious of Streeting's leadership ambitions.

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, the health secretary said he could "not see any circumstances under which I would do that to our prime minister".

He added that briefings to the press against him were "the worst attack on a faithful since Joe Marler was banished in The Traitors final".

Other names being discussed as potential candidates in a leadership race include Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and backbenchers including former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

"He will fight this," one minister said, before making reference to a key by-election in 2021 which Labour lost to the Conservatives, prompting Sir Keir to consider resigning as Labour's leader.

"This is not a Hartlepool moment," they added.

"He is one of only two people alive who have won a general election for Labour. It'd be madness to run against him after 17 months."

In order to trigger a leadership contest against the prime minister, 20% of Labour MPs - currently 81 - would need to nominate a challenger.

Jo White MP, chair of Red Wall Labour backbench group, told the Today programme this was "neither the time or the place" for briefings about a leadership challenge.

"This is a group of people who think they're much cleverer than the rest of us, who spend their time selectively briefing journalists and stirring the pot.

"I want to simply say: we're not having it.

"I'd like to say to No 10, I think they're barking up the wrong tree, briefing against Wes."

Despite winning a landslide majority in the July 2024 general election, Sir Keir has had a rocky time in Downing Street and opinion polls suggest he is unpopular.

There have been suggestions the government could face a crunch point after devolved elections in Scotland and Wales and local elections in England next year.

One senior Labour MP told the BBC: "It's all very well to say wait for the locals, but that's my activist base I'm sending into the gunfire. I can't lose all my councillors."

Another Labour source said: "The list of reasons for people to move after the Budget are growing by the day.

"If Wes is brave and moves he may well be rewarded by being prime minister by Christmas."