Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Focus Forward After Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding
Senior Labour figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside internal conflicts after PM Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting MP over damaging briefings originating from Number 10.
Major Updates
- Miliband declares the Prime Minister will fire the No 10 official responsible for targeting Streeting if discovered
- Miliband rejects any leadership ambitions, saying his past time as leader was the "strongest inoculation" against seeking the position again
- UK economic growth grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Situation
The political controversy started after reports emerged about critical background comments from Starmer's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial attempts to minimize the matter, the conversation between the PM and the health minister according to sources followed a more serious turn.
Starmer expressed regret to Streeting, the media have been informed. The conversation was brief, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to sack.
Miliband's Reaction
In his morning broadcast appearances, Ed Miliband emphasized the need for the party to focus on country-wide matters rather than internal conflicts.
Look, I think the media briefing has been damaging, certainly.
But my call to the party today is clear, which is we need to focus on the country, not our internal matters.
We were given a major victory last July, a major opportunity to improve our country. And we have a historic duty.
Economic News
Separately, government data showed the British economic performance increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the industrial sector particularly impacted by the recently reported JLR hack.
The Day's Agenda
- Morning: The National Health Service publishes its monthly performance figures
- Today: Wes Streeting visits the Liverpool area
- Morning: Rachel Reeves speaks to the media
- Late morning: Number 10 holds its daily media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer announces plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power plant at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey
