Ed Miliband Encourages the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Offers Apology to Streeting for Aggressive Backgrounding
Senior Labour Party official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party disputes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting MP over damaging briefings originating from Downing Street.
Important Updates
- Miliband declares the Prime Minister will fire the No 10 staffer responsible for targeting Wes Streeting if found
- Miliband rejects future leadership plans, saying his past experience as leader was the "best inoculation" against wanting the position again
- British economic growth increased by just 0.1% 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 team targeting the Health Secretary. Although early attempts to downplay the situation, the talk between Starmer and the health minister according to sources took a different direction.
The Prime Minister apologised to Wes Streeting, reporters have been told. The discussion was concise, and they did not talk about the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Response
In his morning media interviews, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the party to concentrate on national issues rather than internal conflicts.
Clearly, I think the media briefing has been damaging, without doubt.
But my advice to the party today is clear, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not our internal matters.
We were given a historic victory last summer, a important opportunity to change our nation. And we have a serious responsibility.
Growth Update
Meanwhile, official figures showed the British economy increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the production industry particularly impacted by the recent Jaguar Land Rover hack.
The Day's Agenda
- 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its latest data
- Today: The Health Secretary visits Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street conducts its regular media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer announces government plans for the UK's first nuclear power project at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey
