Westminster Insider A handy guide to Labour regicide
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Feb 6, 2026 
Dan Bloom, POLITICO political editor who covers dramatic Westminster moments, walks through a turbulent week around Keir Starmer. He outlines signs of plotting and the mechanics of a parliamentary challenge. Short takes cover past coups, timing and succession, the role of party rules and membership, and who might be poised to step up next.
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Curry House Plot Forced Blair Exit
- Sion Simon recounts the 2006 “Curry House Conspiracy” where junior MPs organised a letter demanding Tony Blair step down.
- Their small, organised action forced Blair to announce his planned departure months later.
Line Up Timing, Organisation, Successor
- Plotters need impeccable timing, slick organisation, and a clear successor to succeed.
- Without those three elements, attempts to remove a sitting Labour leader are likely to fail.
Purnell’s One-Man Coup Misfired
- Ayesha Hazarika recalls James Purnell resigning hoping to spark a cabinet revolt against Gordon Brown.
- The coup fizzled because Purnell acted alone and expected others, like David Miliband, to follow.