MPs and the ministers supporting Wes Streeting have discussed staging a ‘coup’ against Keir Starmer when he is out of the country next month.

Backers of the former health secretary discussed the plot at a drinks event for supporters at Westminster’s Barley Mow pub just hours after Mr Streeting called on the PM to step down.

Immigration minister Mike Tapp pinpointed July 8 as a possible date for a coup against the PM. The date coincides with the Nato summit in Turkey, which Sir Keir is expected to attend.

It is also close to the second anniversary of Labour’s landslide victory. When one guest at the gathering suggested holding a party to mark the election success, Mr Tapp chipped in: ‘That could be the day of the coup.’

Fellow MP Rosie Wrighting – another backer of Mr Streeting – suggested the move against Sir Keir could come even earlier.

The MP for Kettering said: ‘Any day could be the day of the coup. If you don’t want to do something because it’s going to be a coup, you’re never going to do anything, ever.’

Their comments were contained in a recording of the event obtained by the Daily Mail.

Mr Tapp, who has repeatedly professed loyalty to Sir Keir, can also be heard declaring he wants Mr Streeting to replace him. ‘If I could, like tomorrow, click my fingers and there’d be a new Prime Minister... Wes Streeting.’

The former soldier suggests Mr Streeting’s Blairite agenda means it is ‘unlikely’ he could win a leadership contest.

However, Ms Wrighting insists it is ‘possible’ he could triumph in a contest to succeed Sir Keir.

Mr Tapp initially denied involvement in the conversation – despite posting a picture of Ms Wrighting and him at the event. 

He told the Daily Mail: ‘Not me, mate, so not much to say.’ Informed there was a recording of the comments, he backed down.

Mr Tapp blamed the Conservative Party’s ‘attack team’ for the tape, saying: ‘Respect for hanging out in the smoking area where the gossip happens, I’ll buy them a pint for their efforts.

‘I make no secret that Wes would be a great PM but for context, I am consistently making the point, as I did then, that what we don’t want is a long drawn out contest and I absolutely back the PM.’ 

Ms Wrighting was approached for comment but did not respond.

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake last night claimed the country was paying the price for Labour infighting.

‘This Government has run out of road,’ he said. ‘Cabinet ministers are ignoring Starmer’s calls and ministers are openly discussing what happens next.

‘Mike Tapp and Rosie Wrighting are clearly agitating to install Wes Streeting as Prime Minister, an all-out coup that would plunge the country into more Labour chaos and turmoil.

‘Make no mistake, swapping Starmer for Streeting or [Andy] Burnham changes nothing for working people. Labour MPs of every stripe want higher taxes to pay for more benefits, leaving people squeezed further while our defences are run down.’

The comments are potentially embarrassing for Mr Tapp.

In April, he posted on X that he ‘couldn’t be more proud to be serving in Sir Keir’s government’, adding: ‘This is exactly the leadership our country needs in uncertain times.’

Last month, he said: ‘If it comes to a contest and Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, who got us here and is only two years in, stands, I’m behind him. That I’m absolutely clear on.’

Mr Streeting yesterday indicated he was prepared to trigger a Labour leadership contest as early as next week.

He said he wanted Sir Keir to reflect over the weekend and make a decision to leave ‘on his own terms’.

The ex-Cabinet minister told BBC Newsnight: ‘We can’t carry on with this uncertainty and paralysis, and there will need to be a contest, and I’d be prepared to do that.’