Ed Miliband Encourages Labour to Move On After Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Aggressive Backgrounding
Senior Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to leave behind party conflicts after PM Keir Starmer directly apologised to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over damaging media stories originating from Downing Street.
Major Updates
- Ed Miliband declares Starmer will fire the Downing Street source behind for targeting Streeting if discovered
- Miliband dismisses future party leader ambitions, saying his previous time as Labour leader was the "most effective protection" against wanting the position again
- UK economy grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, affected by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Situation
The internal unrest started after media stories emerged about hostile briefings from the Prime Minister's team targeting Streeting. Although initial attempts to dismiss the situation, the conversation between the PM and Streeting apparently took a more serious turn.
The Prime Minister expressed regret to Wes Streeting, journalists have been advised. The exchange was short, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under increasing scrutiny to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning media appearances, Ed Miliband emphasized the need for the party to focus on country-wide matters rather than internal conflicts.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, without doubt.
But my call to the Labour party today is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the country, not ourselves.
We were given a significant election win last summer, a important chance to transform our country. And we have a serious responsibility.
Economic Update
Separately, official statistics showed the UK economic performance grew by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector especially hit by the recently reported JLR hack.
Today's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England publishes its latest data
- Morning: Wes Streeting visits Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the media
- Late morning: Number 10 holds its daily media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer highlights government plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power facility at Wylfa site on Anglesey
