Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Move On Following Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Negative Backgrounding
Senior Labour Party figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has urged the party to move beyond party conflicts after PM Sir Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting MP over damaging leaked comments coming from the Prime Minister's office.
Major Updates
- Ed Miliband confirms Starmer will dismiss the Downing Street staffer behind for briefing against Streeting if discovered
- Miliband rules out future leadership plans, declaring his previous experience as Labour leader was the "most effective protection" against desiring the position again
- British economic growth expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, impacted by the JLR security breach
Background
The political controversy started after media stories surfaced about negative briefings from the Prime Minister's team targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial efforts to downplay the incident, the discussion between the PM and Streeting according to sources took a different direction.
Starmer apologised to Wes Streeting, reporters have been told. The conversation was concise, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast appearances, Miliband stressed the need for the party to direct attention on country-wide matters rather than internal conflicts.
Look, I think the briefing has been damaging, certainly.
But my call to the party today is straightforward, which is we need to concentrate on the country, not our internal matters.
We were given a major victory last summer, a major opportunity to transform our nation. And we have a historic duty.
Growth News
Separately, government figures showed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the production sector particularly impacted by the recently reported JLR hack.
Today's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England issues its latest data
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- 11.30am: Number 10 holds its daily lobby briefing
- Morning: The Prime Minister announces government plans for the Britain's first small modular reactor project at Wylfa site on Anglesey