'It will be the same old Labour!' Top Tory tears into Keir Starmer psychodrama as PM set to face leadership challenge

It will be the "same old Labour" if a leadership challenge is triggered against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Helen Whately has warned.

Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary declared "time is up" for the Labour Government ahead of a possible contest from Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

Taking aim at Sir Keir, Ms Whately argued Britons have "had enough" and "hate" the Prime Minister.

She said: "I'm shaking my head seeing it all going on, and clearly the country hates Keir Starmer.

"Keir Starmer is unable to win over his MPs, and he's not doing any of the right things, time is up."

The Tory MP warned that it will be the "same old Labour" no matter who replaces Sir Keir.

She told GB News: "The problem is, with all of these names and candidates manoeuvring, it's still going to be the same old Labour. That is the fundamental problem.

"Their party, their MPs come at this without a plan and without the principles that are needed to fix this country."

Ms Whately praised Tory leader Kemi Badenoch for her performance in the House of Commons, declaring she was "fantastic" in her attack on Sir Keir and the Labour Government.

She said: "She was absolutely blistering, and she really owns it. She controls the space, she controls the mood and the dynamic in there.

"She's got great comebacks, she's got great lines, she thinks on her feet and throws it back at Labour."

The Tory MP also compared the environment in the Chamber to a "pack of dogs".

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Reflecting on the local election results, Ms Whately was questioned by host Patrick Christys on whether she believes that "how badly Labour did masked the fact that the Tories didn't do that well".

She responded: "On the one hand, yes, of course we lost councillors sadly, but we knew that was likely to happen because the last time many of those elections were fought was at a high point after the Covid vaccination programme, and people were feeling very positive at the time about us.

"But actually we did in fact make progress at the local elections. I think what people could see at the local elections last week is Kemi rebuilding the Conservative Party."

Ms Whately took aim at Labour for having "no plan" to govern the country.

She told GB News: "One of the things we have seen with Labour, one reason why they're so bad at doing this job and governing is because they had no plan.

"They didn't come up with what they were going to do in Government, they made some nice promises about things that they might like to do, but actually they didn't talk about the hard stuff that they would need to do.

"They have no mandate, no plan. Instead, we're talking about we know it's going to be tough stuff, but we've got a plan for it.

"Keir Starmer is too weak because his backbenchers don't support it, but I don't see any of these other people jockeying."