In what state does the mudslinging position the UK leadership?
"It's scarcely been our finest day since the election," a top source within the administration admitted after internal criticism from multiple sides, partly public, considerably more confidentially.
The situation started with anonymous briefings with reporters, including myself, suggesting Sir Keir would resist any attempt to challenge his leadership - while claiming government figures, including Wes Streeting, were plotting leadership bids.
Streeting asserted his commitment stood with the Prime Minister and called on those behind the leaks to face dismissal, with Starmer announced that all criticism on his ministers were deemed "inappropriate".
Questions about whether the Prime Minister had sanctioned the first reports to identify likely opponents - and if those behind them were acting knowingly, or consent, were thrown amid the controversy.
Was there going to be an investigation into leaks? Could there be dismissals at what Streeting called a "poisonous" Prime Minister's office setup?
What did individuals near the PM hoping to achieve?
There have been numerous phone calls to patch together the real situation and where these developments leaves the Labour government.
Exist crucial realities central of all of this: the government is unpopular and so is Starmer.
These realities act as the primary motivation behind the constant discussions circulating concerning what the government is attempting about it and potential implications for how long Sir Keir Starmer continues as Prime Minister.
Now considering the consequences of all that political fighting.
The Repair Attempt
Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting communicated by phone Wednesday night to mend relations.
Sources indicate Sir Keir said sorry to Wes Streeting in the brief call and both consented to converse more extensively "shortly".
They didn't talk about the chief of staff, the PM's senior advisor - who has turned into a lightning rod for blame from everyone including Tory leader Badenoch in public to government officials junior and senior in private.
Widely credited as the architect of the political success and the strategic thinker guiding the PM's fast progression following his transition from previous role, the chief of staff also finds himself among those facing criticism when the Prime Minister's office seems to have experienced difficulties or failures.
McSweeney isn't commenting to questions, while certain voices demand his dismissal.
Detractors contend that within the Prime Minister's office where McSweeney is called on to make plenty of significant political decisions, responsibility falls to him for these developments.
Alternative voices from assert nobody employed there was responsible for any leak against a cabinet minister, following Streeting's statement those accountable must be fired.
Aftermath
At the Prime Minister's office, there's implicit acceptance that the Health Minister conducted multiple scheduled media appearances on Wednesday morning with dignity, aplomb and humour - even while facing persistent queries about his own ambitions because the leaks concerning him occurred shortly prior.
For some Labour MPs, he exhibited flexibility and media savvy they only wish Starmer demonstrated.
It also won't have gone unnoticed that at least some of those briefings that tried to shore up the prime minister resulted in an opportunity for Streeting to state he agreed with among fellow MPs who have described the PM's office as hostile and discriminatory and that those who were behind the reports ought to be dismissed.
What a mess.
"I'm a faithful" - Wes Streeting disputes claims to oppose the PM for leadership.
Official Position
Starmer, sources reveal, is "incandescent" at how these events has unfolded and examining the sequence of events.
What appears to have malfunctioned, according to government sources, involves both quantity and tone.
Initially, officials had, maybe optimistically, thought that the leaks would create certain coverage, rather than extensive major coverage.
The reality proved far more significant than they had anticipated.
This analysis suggests a prime minister permitting these issues be revealed, through allies, less than 18 months post-election, would inevitably become leading top of bulletins stuff – as it turned out to be, across media outlets.
And secondly, regarding tone, sources maintain they hadn't expected so much talk concerning Streeting, which was then greatly amplified through multiple media appearances he was booked in to do recently.
Others, it must be said, concluded that exactly that the goal.
Broader Implications
This represents further period when government officials discuss learning experiences and among MPs many are frustrated at what they see as an absurd spectacle developing which requires them to firstly witness subsequently explain.
Ideally avoiding both activities.
Yet a leadership and a prime minister whose nervousness concerning their position is even bigger {than their big majority|their parliamentary advantage|their