Two Mates, No Mandates Episode #3 - Starmer clings to power, Restore Britain launch, Next Labour Leader

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden to unpack one of the most turbulent weeks in Westminster since the general election.A cascade of resignations inside Downing Street — from Morgan McSweeney to Tim Allan — has fuelled a growing narrative that Number 10 is losing control. The crisis deepened when Anas Sarwar publicly called for the Prime Minister to stand aside ahead of the Holyrood election, triggering open fractures within Labour’s ranks.Meanwhile, Wes Streeting’s decision to publish private WhatsApp messages with Peter Mandelson prompted Cabinet Office warnings and intensified the briefing war engulfing the party. Is this transparency — or escalation?As Sir Chris Wormald steps down as Cabinet Secretary during the storm, the drama moves beyond party politics into questions about the stability of the state itself.They also debate:Whether the government’s growth strategy can survive the chaosStreeting vs Rayner — is a leadership contest quietly taking shape?Claims that Ed Miliband has privately fired shots at StreetingWhether calling Israel’s actions “genocide” changes leadership calculusThe rise of Restore Britain and polling suggesting a potential 10% insurgent vote shareAnd whether donating a Prime Ministerial salary to charity is principled leadership — or political theatreIs this a government in temporary turbulence — or the start of a structural unravelling?Blending insider political experience with sharp reporting, Duncan and Charlie dig beneath the headlines to explain what’s really happening inside the Labour machine — and what it means for the future of British politics.