Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a “50-50 chance” of keeping his job by the end of the year by one of his own ministers.

On Tuesday – ahead of Labour’s 13th U-turn in scrapping mandatory Digital IDs – ministers were said to be frequently discussing how Sir Keir had left.

“What’s happening at the moment is extraordinarily bad,” one admitted. “We can’t just pretend otherwise.”

Another Cabinet colleague was asked whether he would still be in No10 by December – and replied: “50-50.”

Labour’s big hitters were also said to be furious at Sir Keir’s reshuffle after Angela Rayner resigned in disgrace.

“We’ve gone through a catastrophic series of mis-steps,” yet another minister told the Financial Times.

And another still added: “I’m not convinced any of the options are better than Keir, but we are so unpopular at the moment I’ve come to the conclusion it’s worth rolling the dice.”

The harsh words came just as it emerged Labour was considering making the planned digital ID Right to Work checks voluntary rather than compulsory in 2029 – its 13th U-turn.

In fewer than two years in charge, the party has changed tack on tax rises, slashing winter fuel payments, welfare reforms, holding a grooming gangs inquiry and many more.

But the PM appeared to have maintained some support around the Cabinet table.

“There’s no way he’s going to go of his own accord,” one minister added – and argued that Sir Keir sees May’s crunch local elections as unrepresentative of how Britain may vote in a General Election.

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RECAP: Wes Streeting’s veiled swipe at Keir Starmer ahead of latest U-turn

One minister who put his name to criticism of the Government’s approach on Tuesday was Wes Streeting, who laid into Labour’s “excuses culture”.

The potential Labour leadership challenger demanded an end to the Government’s retreat from key policy goals at an Institute for Government conference in London.

“This excuses culture does the centre-left no favours,” the Health Secretary said .

He asked: “If we tell the public that we can’t make anything work, then why on Earth would they vote to keep us in charge?”

When asked if U-turns were slowing the Government down, Mr Streeting said: “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.

“We love to hear it, and if people think we’re getting it wrong – and we think that they’re right – far better to do the right thing rather than to spare one’s political blushes.”

He said: “In the NHS, we have an initiative called Girft – get it right first time. That should be our New Year’s resolution for 2026 – let’s try and get it right first time.”

“Where there aren’t levers, we build them; where there are barriers, we bulldoze them.

“If people in charge aren’t up to the job, we replace them with the best and the brightest,” the Health Secretary added.