Conservative minister Kemi Badenoch said Prime Minister Keir Starmer is "in office, but not in power" following the King's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament.
The comment highlights growing instability within the Labour government, as the Prime Minister faces simultaneous pressure from the opposition and internal party dissent.
Badenoch said the remark was to criticize what she described as a weakened leadership [1]. Her comments come as the Labour Party deals with reports of a possible leadership challenge from Health Secretary Wes Streeting [2].
The internal friction has manifested in direct demands for a change in leadership. More than 80 Labour MPs are demanding the resignation of Keir Starmer [3].
Badenoch, who has been identified as both a Conservative minister and a Tory leader in various reports, used the platform of the State Opening to frame the Prime Minister as a figurehead lacking real authority [1]. The phrasing suggests that while Starmer retains the formal title and position of the premiership, he has lost the political capital necessary to govern effectively.
This public critique follows a period of mounting speculation regarding the stability of the current administration. The potential for a challenge from within the cabinet, specifically from Streeting, adds a layer of urgency to the dissent expressed by the rank-and-file MPs [2].
Starmer has not responded to the specific phrasing used by Badenoch, though the Labour Party continues to navigate the pressure from its own members [4].
“"In office but not in power"”
The friction within the Labour Party suggests a widening gap between the Prime Minister's official mandate and his actual control over his parliamentary party. If a significant bloc of MPs continues to demand resignation and a cabinet minister like Wes Streeting pursues a challenge, Starmer's ability to pass legislation and maintain party discipline will be severely compromised, potentially shifting the balance of power toward the Conservative opposition.
