Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Look Ahead After Starmer Offers Apology to Streeting for Negative Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to move beyond internal disputes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting over negative media stories originating from Number 10.
Key Developments
- Miliband states Starmer will dismiss the No 10 staffer responsible for targeting Streeting if identified
- The Energy Secretary rejects any party leader ambitions, saying his past experience as Labour leader was the "best vaccine" against wanting the position again
- British economy increased by just 0.1% in the third quarter, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack
Situation
The political controversy began after media stories surfaced about hostile background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial attempts to downplay the matter, the discussion between the PM and Streeting according to sources followed a more serious turn.
Starmer expressed regret to Streeting, the media have been told. The discussion was short, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under pressure to dismiss.
Miliband's Statement
In his early morning media appearances, Miliband stressed the need for the Labour Party to focus on country-wide matters rather than party divisions.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, no question.
But my advice to the Labour members today is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a major mandate last summer, a historic opportunity to change our country. And we have a major obligation.
Growth News
Separately, official data revealed the British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the production industry especially impacted by the recent Jaguar Land Rover security incident.
Today's Schedule
- 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its monthly performance figures
- Today: The Health Secretary visits Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor makes comments to the journalists
- 11.30am: Downing Street holds its daily media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer announces plans for the UK's first small modular reactor facility at Wylfa on Anglesey
