Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Move On Following Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Negative Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside internal conflicts after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer directly said sorry to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over hostile briefings coming from Number 10.
Important Updates
- Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will dismiss the Downing Street staffer responsible for briefing against Streeting if identified
- The Energy Secretary rejects any party leader ambitions, saying his previous time as leader was the "best inoculation" against desiring the role again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1% in the third quarter, impacted by the JLR security breach
Situation
The internal unrest erupted after media stories surfaced about negative briefings from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial attempts to dismiss the incident, the talk between Starmer and Streeting reportedly followed a different turn.
The Prime Minister expressed regret to Streeting, reporters have been advised. The conversation was brief, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast appearances, Miliband emphasized the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on country-wide priorities rather than party conflicts.
Look, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, no question.
But my message to the party now is quite simple, which is we need to focus on the country, not each other.
We were given a historic mandate last July, a historic chance to change our nation. And we have a historic duty.
Economic Update
Separately, official figures showed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the production industry especially hit by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack.
Today's Agenda
- 9.30am: NHS England issues its monthly data
- Morning: The Health Secretary visits Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the journalists
- Late morning: Downing Street conducts its daily lobby briefing
- Today: Keir Starmer promotes plans for the UK's first nuclear power project at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey
