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'Starmer and Streeting set for showdown' and 'Crisis? What crisis?'

News imageThe headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: “Starmer throws down gauntlet to rivals as turmoil rattles gilts market”.
For the second day in a row, every paper leads on the future of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership. "Starmer throws down gauntlet to rivals" says the Financial Times, reporting the prime minister was still "clinging to power" on Tuesday evening, after he challenged his rivals to mount a leadership bid on a day of ministerial resignations. The paper adds that Sir Keir's supporters believe he has headed off a challenge from Health Secretary Wes Streeting who, it says, has not gained the support of the 81 MPs needed to launch a rival bid.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: “Starmer sees off threat for now as Streeting challenge fails to emerge”.
The Guardian is in agreement, saying that Sir Keir is "increasingly confident" that he has seen off the immediate threat to his leadership after Streeting failed to raise a formal challenge on Tuesday. The health secretary is due to meet the PM on Wednesday, where he is expected to talk candidly about his concerns regarding the Labour Party.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Times reads: “Starmer and Streeting set for No 10 showdown”.
Several papers have homed in on the "No 10 showdown" between Sir Keir and Streeting, including the Times. The pair are pictured side by side on the front page of the paper, which reports that the "summit" is due to take place in Downing Street in the hours before the King's Speech. It is not clear whether Streeting will formally call for Sir Keir to set out a timeline for his departure, the Times says.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: “Streeting to confront Starmer”.
Similarly, the Telegraph leads with "Streeting to confront Starmer". It notes that despite telling ministers at Tuesday's "tense" Cabinet meeting that he would discuss the leadership crisis in private, Sir Keir refused to speak to Streeting at No 10 in the hours that followed. The paper also highlights concerns in Westminster that the "chaos" in government could overshadow the speech on Wednesday and embarrass King Charles III.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Sun reads: “Crisis? What crisis?”.
"Crisis? What crisis?" quips the Sun, echoing a phrase associated with a past Labour prime minister, James Callaghan, during the "Winter of Discontent" of 1979. The paper says Sir Keir has tried to "shrug off mutiny" in the Labour Party. Like many of the other papers, it also previews his "crunch talks" with Streeting on Wednesday, which it also describes as a "showdown".
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Mirror reads: “Stand-off”.
"Starmer fights on" declares the Mirror, writing that 110 backbenchers and aides have signed a letter in support of Sir Keir, despite four ministerial resignations on Tuesday.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the i Paper reads: “Put up or shut up, Starmer tells his Cabinet rebels”.
The i Paper says a "defiant" Sir Keir told cabinet rebels to "put up or shut up" in a contentious meeting on Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy also appealed to Labour MPs on behalf of Downing Street, the paper says, urging them to step back and "take a breath". It comes as the UK long-term borrowing costs hit their highest level since 1998, with the i suggesting that bond markets are punishing the UK for the political turmoil.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Metro reads: “Number 10 Doubting St”.
"Number 10 Doubting St" says the Metro, focusing on the resignations of Jess Phillips, Alex Davies-Jones, Zubir Ahmed and Miatta Fahnbulleh on Tuesday. The paper adds that if Sir Keir was to step down, the UK would be facing its fifth prime minister in four years.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Daily Express reads: “For the good of your country go now!”.
The Express leads with a comment piece from its political editor, Martyn Brown, who says Sir Keir must resign for the "good of the nation and the millions of people he represents". He writes that every minute the prime minister spends "holed up inside No 10" is a minute wasted, insisting he must do right by the British electorate and stand aside.
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Daily Mail reads: “Paralysed by Labour chaos”.
The Daily Mail's headline reads: "Paralysed by Labour chaos". The paper features an "inside look" on "24 hours of madness" in No 10, as Sir Keir "digs in his heels".
News imageThe headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: “The talking dead".
The Daily Star makes a joke around the idea of a "zombie parliament" if Sir Keir does not step down. The paper's front page pairs a graphic of the prime minister battling the undead with the headline "The Talking Dead".

This morning's papers all focus on the turbulence engulfing the government.

"Crisis? What crisis?" asks the Sun, which describes Sir Keir Starmer as trying to "shrug off mutiny" in the midst of a "civil war". The headline in the Daily Mail is: "Paralysed by Labour chaos" as it reports that the prime minister is "locked in an extraordinary standoff with his MPs" and has told leadership rivals to "put up or shut up".

His allies tell the Guardian they believe he has seen off an immediate threat to his leadership - with a government source quoted in the Daily Telegraph as saying that Wes Streeting has "bottled it". But, according to the Financial Times, Downing Street is "still eyeing him warily in case he makes a move". One ally of the health secretary tells the Times that he could resign and trigger a leadership contest if Sir Keir's premiership "reaches the point of no return". The paper characterises the pair's forthcoming meeting as a "showdown". The Sun says they will take part in "crunch talks". A supporter of the prime minister, however, tells the Financial Times that Streeting is just "coming in for a cup of coffee".

If he does launch a leadership bid - the Daily Mirror says - the former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, is "ready to take him on"; while supporters of Andy Burnham tell the i Paper that Wednesday could be "resignation day". According to the Telegraph, the Greater Manchester mayor is "thought to have decided on the parliamentary seat to contest in a by-election" - and could announce it "as soon as today". But, if he is unable to stand, the Times reports that the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, has told ministers he is prepared to put his name forward - although sources in the Daily Express say this is "categorically untrue". The Guardian says Miliband instead sees himself as "a kingmaker". His allies say he would strike a deal for Rayner or the former transport secretary, Louise Haigh, to run as the soft-left candidate.

In its leader column, the Daily Star endorses a candidate to replace the prime minister - Larry the Downing Street cat. The paper also questions whether it could be "time for a new lettuce" - a reference to its 2022 stunt, when the wilting vegetable outlasted Liz Truss's premiership.

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