Ed Miliband Encourages the Labour Party to Look Ahead After Keir Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Hostile Media Leaks
High-ranking Labour Party official Ed Miliband has demanded the party to put aside party conflicts after Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly apologised to health minister Wes Streeting over damaging briefings originating from the Prime Minister's office.
Key Developments
- Miliband confirms Starmer will dismiss the Downing Street official responsible for targeting Wes Streeting if found
- Miliband rejects any party leader aspirations, stating his past time as leader was the "most effective protection" against seeking the role again
- UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack
Situation
The political controversy erupted after media stories emerged about hostile briefings from Starmer's supporters targeting Streeting. Despite early attempts to downplay the matter, the talk between the PM and the health minister reportedly took a different turn.
Starmer said sorry to Streeting, journalists have been told. The discussion was brief, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to dismiss.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the party to direct attention on country-wide priorities rather than party divisions.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been unhelpful, no question.
But my call to the Labour members now is quite simple, which is we need to focus on the country, not each other.
We were given a major election win last July, a historic chance to improve our country. And we have a historic responsibility.
Growth News
Separately, official statistics showed the British economic performance grew by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the industrial industry particularly impacted by the recently reported JLR hack.
The Day's Schedule
- 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its latest performance figures
- Morning: Wes Streeting is visiting the Liverpool area
- Morning: Rachel Reeves makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Downing Street conducts its regular lobby briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister announces government plans for the UK's pioneering small modular reactor plant at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey
