Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Focus Forward After Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Negative Backgrounding
Senior Labour official Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party disputes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting MP over hostile briefings coming from Number 10.
Major Updates
- Ed Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will dismiss the No 10 source behind for briefing against Wes Streeting if identified
- Miliband dismisses future party leader aspirations, saying his past experience as leader was the "strongest inoculation" against seeking the role again
- UK economy increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, impacted by the JLR cyber-attack
Background
The political controversy started after allegations circulated about critical background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting Streeting. Despite initial attempts to downplay the incident, the talk between the PM and Streeting according to sources took a different turn.
Starmer said sorry to Streeting, journalists have been advised. The exchange was concise, and they did not talk about Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under pressure to sack.
Miliband's Statement
In his morning media appearances, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on national matters rather than internal conflicts.
Look, I think the briefing has been damaging, without doubt.
But my call to the party now is quite simple, which is we need to concentrate on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a major mandate last summer, a major opportunity to change our country. And we have a serious responsibility.
Economic News
Meanwhile, government figures indicated the British economic performance expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the production sector particularly impacted by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover hack.
Today's Agenda
- Morning: NHS England publishes its latest data
- Morning: The Health Secretary is visiting the Liverpool area
- Today: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Number 10 holds its regular media briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister highlights plans for the UK's first nuclear power facility at Wylfa site on Anglesey