Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Focus Forward After Starmer Offers Apology to Streeting for Negative Media Leaks
High-ranking Labour official Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party tensions after PM Sir Keir Starmer personally apologised to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over hostile briefings originating from Number 10.
Key Developments
- Ed Miliband declares the Prime Minister will sack the Downing Street source behind for attacking Wes Streeting if found
- The Energy Secretary rules out future leadership ambitions, saying his previous experience as leader was the "most effective protection" against wanting the position again
- British economy increased by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the JLR hack
Background
The political turmoil began after media stories emerged about critical background comments from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Despite early efforts to downplay the incident, the discussion between the PM and the health minister reportedly took a more serious direction.
Starmer expressed regret to Wes Streeting, reporters have been informed. The exchange was concise, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to remove.
Miliband's Statement
In his morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the Labour Party to focus on national priorities rather than internal divisions.
Clearly, I think the media briefing has been damaging, no question.
But my call to the Labour members today is straightforward, which is we need to concentrate on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a major mandate last summer, a major chance to transform our country. And we have a historic obligation.
Economic Update
Separately, government data indicated the British economic performance grew by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the production sector particularly affected by the recent Jaguar Land Rover security incident.
The Day's Agenda
- 9.30am: NHS England publishes its latest performance figures
- Today: The Health Secretary visits Liverpool
- Morning: Rachel Reeves speaks to the press
- 11.30am: Number 10 holds its regular media briefing
- Today: Keir Starmer announces plans for the Britain's pioneering nuclear power plant at Wylfa site on Anglesey
