Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Focus Forward After Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding
High-ranking Labour Party official Ed Miliband has called for the party to leave behind internal tensions after PM Keir Starmer personally expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over negative media stories coming from the Prime Minister's office.
Important Updates
- Ed Miliband states Starmer will dismiss the Downing Street staffer responsible for attacking Streeting if discovered
- Miliband dismisses future leadership plans, declaring his past experience as leader was the "strongest vaccine" against seeking the role again
- UK economy grew by just 0.1% in the third quarter, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Situation
The internal unrest started after media stories surfaced about negative briefings from Starmer's team targeting Streeting. Despite early efforts to dismiss the incident, the discussion between the PM and the health minister according to sources took a different direction.
Starmer expressed regret to Streeting, reporters have been told. The conversation was brief, and they did not talk about Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under increasing scrutiny to dismiss.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast interviews, Miliband stressed the need for the party to direct attention on country-wide matters rather than party conflicts.
Look, I think the media briefing has been bad, no question.
But my message to the Labour members now is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a major mandate last summer, a major opportunity to improve our nation. And we have a historic obligation.
Economic Update
Separately, official data showed the British economic performance expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the manufacturing industry particularly hit by the recently reported JLR cyber-attack.
The Day's Schedule
- 9.30am: NHS England releases its latest data
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Downing Street holds its regular lobby briefing
- Today: Keir Starmer announces government plans for the UK's first small modular reactor facility at Wylfa on Anglesey
