Starmer vows to uncover source of damaging government leaks

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to identify the source of a series of damaging leaks that have embarrassed his government and unsettled senior ministers. Speaking to MPs, he said he was determined to get to the bottom of where the information was coming from and described the situation as intolerable for any organisation, particularly one at the heart of government.

Budget leaks spark formal investigation

The issue came to the forefront last week when Chancellor Rachel Reeves told Parliament that reports suggesting she had dropped plans to raise income tax before the Budget were unauthorised. She confirmed that an official inquiry had been launched to trace how the information entered the public domain. The leaks were followed by an unprecedented incident in which the Office for Budget Responsibility’s response to the Budget was published before Reeves had delivered her statement in the House of Commons.

Sir Keir told the Liaison Committee that an investigation into the Budget related leaks was already under way. He stressed that such disclosures undermine trust and disrupt the orderly running of government.

Prime minister rejects blame on his own office

When questioned directly, Sir Keir said he did not believe the leaks originated from within his own Downing Street operation. He told MPs that he had received assurances from different levels of his team and had also reviewed other evidence before reaching that conclusion. He acknowledged the seriousness of the accusations and said he had not taken those assurances at face value alone.

Pressed on whether the reassurances came from civil servants or political staff, the prime minister clarified that they came from special advisers. However, he declined to name individuals and repeated that the investigation would follow the evidence wherever it led.

Willingness to take tough action

Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the Liaison Committee, asked whether Sir Keir would be prepared to remove someone from their role if they were found responsible. He responded that he had taken such steps before in previous leadership positions and would do so again if necessary. Drawing on his experience as head of the Crown Prosecution Service, he said that once an inquiry reached a conclusion he would act decisively.

Sir Keir emphasised that leaks damage institutions from the inside and said there could be no tolerance for that behaviour. He said the current inquiry had full scope to examine all possibilities.

Wider concerns about standards and discipline

MPs also used the session to raise broader questions about standards in public life and whether ministers were subjecting themselves to proper scrutiny. The government has endured several uncomfortable moments in recent weeks, including reports of an alleged briefing suggesting Health Secretary Wes Streeting was involved in a plot to challenge the leadership.

That episode led to speculation about divisions within the Cabinet and intensified focus on internal discipline. Sir Keir later had to defend his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney after some figures within government pointed the finger at him. Sources, however, insisted McSweeney’s position was secure.

Opposition pressure over control of Downing Street

Conservative MP Alberto Costa accused the prime minister of appearing to have lost control of his Downing Street operation if leaks were emerging from within Number 10. In response, Sir Keir rejected the claim and reiterated that he had been assured at multiple levels that the source lay elsewhere.

He added that any briefing against Cabinet ministers was completely unacceptable and said he had already put procedures in place to crack down on such behaviour.

A test of authority and trust

The unfolding inquiry represents an early test of Sir Keir’s authority and his commitment to restoring discipline and trust in government. While he has sought to project calm and resolve, the repeated leaks have exposed the pressures facing a new administration navigating its first major fiscal decisions.

By publicly committing to act on the findings of the investigation, Sir Keir has raised expectations that the matter will not be quietly dropped. Whether the inquiry delivers clear answers may shape perceptions of his leadership style and his ability to maintain unity and control at the centre of power.