A Labour minister found himself under intense pressure during a GB News interview as presenter Andrew Pierce challenged him over the party’s catastrophic polling numbers and internal leadership tensions.

Andrew confronted Steve Reed with recent comments from Andy Burnham, who claimed the Prime Minister had “created alienation and demoralisation within the Labour Party” and revealed he’d been approached by MPs about mounting a leadership challenge.

“This is from one of the most senior popular figures in the Labour movement, on the eve of your party conference,” Andrew pointed out whilst speaking to the Housing Secretary.

Steve Reed responded: “The Labour MPs I speak to here in Telford today, and the MPs I speak to in Parliament, talk to me about what we can do to get homes built.

“Well, you’re obviously not talking to the same ones who speak to Andy Burnham. They talk to me about how we can turn around our high streets, places people no longer feel pride in because they’ve been allowed to fall into such despair.

“That is what our MPs are talking about. And I know that because I’ve been speaking to MPs today, as well as others.”

Andrew fired back: “Minister, you’re in denial. You’re in denial. There’s a problem with the leadership of the Labour Government.

“Look at the polls, Minister. Look at the polls. Fourteen months after you got in, you’re trailing in the polls.”

The Labour MP responded: “Well, you know, Andrew, you’ve been observing politics for a long time, and I’ve been involved as an elected member for many years.

“The polls go up and down. What you have to do is focus on the things we need to get right in order to win people’s trust at the next general election.

“Let’s look at what’s happened over the last year. Wages have gone up more in the last ten months under this Government than in the previous ten years under the Conservatives, that’s more money in people’s pockets.

“There have been 5 million more NHS appointments, bringing down waiting lists. And 35,000 people who had no right to be in this country have been removed.

“Today we’re also giving communities the power they need to take back control of their high streets and restore pride.

“People elected Labour to focus on their problems and fix them and that is what we’re going to do.”

Recent surveys paint a devastating picture for Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, with one Find Out Now poll showing Labour had plummeted to just 16 per cent of voter support – matching the Conservatives at their lowest point.

This represents a catastrophic decline from the 34 per cent vote share that delivered Labour’s landslide victory in July 2024, suggesting the party may have haemorrhaged more than half its electoral support.

Reform UK has emerged as the primary beneficiary, surging to 34 per cent in the same poll, whilst the Liberal Democrats secured 13 per cent and the Greens 12 per cent.

Electoral projections based on these figures suggest an unprecedented political earthquake, with Reform UK potentially securing 452 parliamentary seats and a commanding majority of 264.