Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Says Sorry to Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding
High-ranking Labour figure Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party conflicts after PM Sir Keir Starmer directly said sorry to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over damaging leaked comments linked to Number 10.
Major Events
- Miliband states the Prime Minister will fire the Downing Street source responsible for targeting Wes Streeting if found
- The Energy Secretary dismisses future leadership plans, declaring his previous experience as Labour leader was the "most effective vaccine" against seeking the role again
- British economic growth grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the JLR hack
Situation
The political turmoil began after media stories circulated about critical background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting Streeting. Despite initial attempts to downplay the matter, the discussion between the PM and the health minister apparently took a different direction.
Starmer said sorry to Streeting, journalists have been told. The discussion was concise, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Response
In his morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the party to focus on country-wide matters rather than party conflicts.
Look, I think the media briefing has been unhelpful, no question.
But my advice to the Labour members now is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the public, not each other.
We were given a significant election win last summer, a important chance to transform our nation. And we have a serious obligation.
Growth Update
In other news, government data showed the British economic performance expanded by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the production sector especially hit by the recently reported JLR hack.
Today's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England publishes its latest data
- Today: Wes Streeting visits the Liverpool area
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the journalists
- 11.30am: Number 10 conducts its daily lobby briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister announces plans for the Britain's first small modular reactor plant at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey