Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on the Labour Party to Move On Following Keir Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Negative Media Leaks
Senior Labour official Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside internal conflicts after leader Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting over damaging media stories coming from Number 10.
Important Updates
- Ed Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will fire the Downing Street official behind for attacking Wes Streeting if discovered
- Miliband rules out future party leader ambitions, saying his previous time as leader was the "most effective inoculation" against desiring the role again
- British economic growth expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Context
The political controversy erupted after reports surfaced about negative background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting Streeting. Despite early attempts to downplay the incident, the conversation between Starmer and Streeting reportedly followed a different direction.
Starmer expressed regret to Wes Streeting, journalists have been told. The discussion was brief, and they did not talk about Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under pressure to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his early morning media appearances, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to direct attention on national matters rather than internal disputes.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been unhelpful, certainly.
But my call to the Labour party today is clear, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not each other.
We were given a major victory last summer, a historic chance to transform our country. And we have a major duty.
Economic Update
Meanwhile, government figures revealed the UK economic performance expanded by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector particularly hit by the recently reported JLR cyber-attack.
The Day's Agenda
- 9.30am: NHS England releases its monthly performance figures
- Morning: The Health Secretary visits the Liverpool area
- Today: Rachel Reeves makes comments to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its regular lobby briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer highlights plans for the UK's first nuclear power facility at Wylfa on Anglesey
