"At various points, he looked like he might be done for and imminently. If Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar's desire to dislodge Sir Keir Starmer had had public accomplices, that could have been it. There was a crucial pivot point on Monday afternoon when things could have gone in one of two ways. If others had said Sir Keir should go, he might not have got to the end of the day without announcing his departure."
"But instead, there was a rallying of support from the cabinet and from various wings of the Labour Party. Let's be clear: missives of loyalty from cabinet ministers towards the prime minister shouldn't be newsworthy and they only become so when the opposite seems feasible. The sheer volume of social media posts only served to underline just how perilous Sir Keir's position had been: he needed political scaffolding to prop him up from wherever it could be found. But that support did come and he has seen off, for now, the moment of maximum danger for him."
The prime minister experienced a political near-death episode but retained office after a sudden leadership challenge. Moments arose when he appeared likely to be forced out, especially if public allies had joined the challenger. A pivotal afternoon saw potential collapse averted by a surge of loyalty from cabinet ministers and party factions. Social media amplified perceptions of peril and underscored the need for political scaffolding. The week inflicted deep political wounds and reduced the prime minister's standing. Imminent electoral tests — a Gorton and Denton by-election, Scottish and Welsh devolved elections and English local contests — pose further jeopardy and potential blame for poor results.
Read at www.bbc.com
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