Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Look Ahead After Keir Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Aggressive Media Leaks
Senior Labour Party figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to leave behind internal tensions after PM Sir Keir Starmer personally apologised to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over negative leaked comments originating from Downing Street.
Key Updates
- Miliband states the Prime Minister will fire the Downing Street official behind for targeting Wes Streeting if discovered
- Miliband rules out future leadership aspirations, declaring his previous time as leader was the "best inoculation" against seeking the role again
- British economy increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, impacted by the JLR security breach
Context
The political turmoil started after media stories surfaced about hostile background comments from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial efforts to downplay the incident, the talk between the PM and the health minister reportedly took a more serious direction.
The Prime Minister apologised to Streeting, reporters have been told. The conversation was short, and they did not talk about Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to dismiss.
Miliband's Reaction
In his morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to direct attention on country-wide issues rather than internal divisions.
Look, I think the media briefing has been bad, no question.
But my message to the Labour members now is clear, which is we need to focus on the nation, not each other.
We were given a significant victory last summer, a historic opportunity to transform our nation. And we have a major obligation.
Growth Update
In other news, government statistics revealed the British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector particularly hit by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover hack.
Today's Agenda
- 9.30am: NHS England publishes its latest statistics
- Morning: The Health Secretary is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its daily lobby briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister promotes plans for the UK's first small modular reactor project at Wylfa on Anglesey
