Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Aggressive Backgrounding
High-ranking Labour Party figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has demanded the party to move beyond internal disputes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer directly said sorry to health minister Wes Streeting over hostile briefings linked to Number 10.
Important Updates
- Miliband states Starmer will sack the No 10 staffer behind for briefing against Wes Streeting if found
- The Energy Secretary rules out any party leader aspirations, saying his past time as leader was the "strongest inoculation" against seeking the role again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, impacted by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Situation
The political turmoil erupted after reports emerged about hostile background comments from Starmer's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial efforts to downplay the situation, the conversation between the PM and the health minister apparently followed a more serious turn.
The Prime Minister apologised to Streeting, reporters have been informed. The exchange was concise, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under pressure to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast appearances, Miliband emphasized the need for the party to focus on national matters rather than party disputes.
Clearly, I think the briefing has been damaging, certainly.
But my message to the Labour party now is quite simple, which is we need to concentrate on the country, not ourselves.
We were given a major election win last July, a historic chance to change our nation. And we have a historic duty.
Economic Update
Separately, government data indicated the British economic performance grew by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the manufacturing industry especially hit by the recently reported JLR security incident.
Today's Agenda
- 9.30am: NHS England issues its monthly data
- Morning: The Health Secretary is visiting Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor speaks to the journalists
- 11.30am: Downing Street conducts its regular media briefing
- Today: Keir Starmer highlights government plans for the UK's first nuclear power facility at Wylfa site on Anglesey
