Ed Miliband Encourages the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Aggressive Backgrounding
Senior Labour official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside internal disputes after PM Keir Starmer personally expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over negative briefings coming from Number 10.
Major Developments
- Ed Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will dismiss the No 10 source responsible for attacking Streeting if identified
- Miliband dismisses any leadership aspirations, declaring his past time as Labour leader was the "strongest vaccine" against wanting the role again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, affected by the JLR security breach
Situation
The internal turmoil began after allegations circulated about negative background comments from Starmer's team targeting the Health Secretary. Despite early efforts to dismiss the matter, the talk between the PM and the health minister apparently followed a more serious turn.
Starmer expressed regret to Streeting, journalists have been advised. The conversation was short, and they did not address Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under increasing scrutiny to sack.
The Energy Secretary's Reaction
In his early morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the party to concentrate on national matters rather than party conflicts.
Look, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, certainly.
But my call to the Labour members today is quite simple, which is we need to focus on the nation, not our internal matters.
We were given a historic election win last summer, a historic opportunity to change our nation. And we have a serious duty.
Growth Update
Meanwhile, official figures indicated the UK economic performance expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the industrial sector particularly impacted by the recent JLR hack.
Today's Agenda
- Morning: The National Health Service issues its monthly data
- Morning: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- Late morning: Number 10 holds its daily lobby briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer highlights government plans for the Britain's pioneering small modular reactor project at Wylfa on Anglesey