Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Look Ahead After Starmer Apologises to Wes Streeting for Aggressive Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has demanded the party to put aside party disputes after leader Sir Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting MP over damaging media stories linked to Downing Street.
Major Events
- Ed Miliband declares Starmer will fire the Downing Street source behind for briefing against Wes Streeting if identified
- The Energy Secretary dismisses future party leader ambitions, saying his past time as Labour leader was the "best protection" against desiring the position again
- UK economic growth grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, impacted by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Situation
The internal unrest started after media stories surfaced about critical briefings from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting Streeting. Although early attempts to dismiss the situation, the talk between Starmer and the health minister apparently took a different direction.
Starmer apologised to Streeting, the media have been informed. The exchange was brief, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast interviews, Miliband emphasized the need for the party to focus on country-wide priorities rather than internal conflicts.
Look, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, certainly.
But my call to the party now is clear, which is we need to focus on the public, not our internal matters.
We were given a significant mandate last summer, a major opportunity to change our country. And we have a historic obligation.
Economic News
Meanwhile, government data indicated the British economic performance increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the industrial sector particularly affected by the recent JLR hack.
Today's Schedule
- 9.30am: The National Health Service releases its monthly performance figures
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Morning: Rachel Reeves makes comments to the media
- Late morning: Number 10 conducts its regular lobby briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister highlights government plans for the Britain's first nuclear power facility at Wylfa site on Anglesey
