Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Focus Forward Following Keir Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Hostile Media Leaks
Senior Labour Party official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to put aside party disputes after leader Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting MP over hostile media stories coming from Number 10.
Key Updates
- Miliband declares the Prime Minister will sack the No 10 source responsible for attacking Wes Streeting if identified
- The Energy Secretary rules out future leadership ambitions, saying his past experience as Labour leader was the "strongest inoculation" against desiring the role again
- UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack
Context
The political turmoil erupted after reports circulated about negative briefings from the Prime Minister's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial efforts to dismiss the incident, the discussion between the PM and Streeting according to sources took a more serious direction.
Starmer apologised to Wes Streeting, the media have been told. The exchange was concise, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to sack.
Miliband's Statement
In his early morning broadcast appearances, Miliband emphasized the need for the Labour Party to concentrate on national priorities rather than party disputes.
Clearly, I think the briefing has been bad, without doubt.
But my call to the party today is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the nation, not ourselves.
We were given a major mandate last summer, a major opportunity to change our country. And we have a historic responsibility.
Economic News
Separately, official statistics indicated the UK economic performance increased by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector particularly impacted by the recently reported JLR hack.
Today's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England releases its monthly data
- Morning: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the media
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its regular lobby briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer announces government plans for the Britain's first small modular reactor facility at Wylfa site on Anglesey
