Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Aggressive Media Leaks
High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside party tensions after Prime Minister Keir Starmer personally expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over damaging media stories coming from Downing Street.
Major Developments
- Miliband confirms Starmer will dismiss the No 10 official responsible for targeting Wes Streeting if found
- Miliband rules out any party leader ambitions, saying his past time as Labour leader was the "most effective inoculation" against seeking the role again
- UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, hit by the JLR security breach
Background
The political turmoil erupted after allegations circulated about critical briefings from the Prime Minister's team targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial efforts to downplay the incident, the conversation between the PM and Streeting apparently took a more serious turn.
The Prime Minister apologised to Streeting, reporters have been told. The discussion was brief, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Reaction
In his morning media interviews, Miliband highlighted the need for the Labour Party to focus on national issues rather than party divisions.
Look, I think the media briefing has been unhelpful, without doubt.
But my advice to the Labour members today is quite simple, which is we need to focus on the nation, not ourselves.
We were given a historic mandate last July, a major opportunity to transform our nation. And we have a historic obligation.
Growth News
In other news, government statistics showed the UK economic performance grew by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the production sector especially affected by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover hack.
Today's Schedule
- 9.30am: NHS England publishes its monthly statistics
- Today: Wes Streeting visits Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Number 10 conducts its regular media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer promotes plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power facility at Wylfa on Anglesey
