Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on the Labour Party to Look Ahead After Keir Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding
Senior Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside internal disputes after PM Keir Starmer personally said sorry to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over hostile briefings linked to Number 10.
Major Updates
- Ed Miliband declares Starmer will dismiss the Downing Street source responsible for attacking Wes Streeting if discovered
- Miliband rejects future party leader aspirations, stating his previous experience as Labour leader was the "most effective inoculation" against desiring the position again
- UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack
Background
The internal turmoil began after allegations emerged about critical briefings from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting Streeting. Although early attempts to minimize the incident, the discussion between the PM and the health minister apparently followed a more serious turn.
Starmer said sorry to Streeting, the media have been informed. The discussion was brief, and they did not talk about the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Reaction
In his early morning broadcast interviews, Miliband stressed the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on country-wide matters rather than internal divisions.
Look, I think the media briefing has been unhelpful, without doubt.
But my message to the party now is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the country, not each other.
We were given a significant victory last summer, a major opportunity to improve our country. And we have a historic responsibility.
Growth News
Separately, official statistics revealed the British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector especially impacted by the recently reported JLR cyber-attack.
The Day's Schedule
- 9.30am: The National Health Service releases its monthly performance figures
- Morning: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the journalists
- Late morning: Number 10 conducts its regular media briefing
- Today: Keir Starmer announces plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power project at Wylfa on Anglesey
