London: A foolish briefing to the media has dragged Keir Starmer into a pit of political quicksand after his own allies thought they could help their boss by bad-mouthing his colleagues.

In a move of incredible idiocy, the prime minister’s stated friends tried to defend him to journalists by declaring he would fight any moves to replace him as Labour leader.

Their clumsy ploy tripped up their leader instead by exposing him to ridicule in parliament – and deepening the doubts about his authority, his office and his basic political skill.

Australian observers would struggle to believe how dunderheaded the Labour team can be in Westminster, given there are so many lessons from Australian politics about leadership spills and how to avoid them.

Despite those lessons the Labour crew in Lond

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