Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Focus Forward After Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Aggressive Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has demanded the party to leave behind internal tensions after PM Sir Keir Starmer directly apologised to health minister Wes Streeting over hostile media stories originating from the Prime Minister's office.
Key Events
- Miliband states Starmer will fire the Downing Street source responsible for attacking Wes Streeting if identified
- Miliband dismisses any party leader aspirations, declaring his previous experience as leader was the "most effective inoculation" against desiring the role again
- British economic growth increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Context
The political controversy erupted after allegations emerged about hostile briefings from Starmer's team targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial attempts to downplay the matter, the discussion between the PM and the health minister according to sources followed a more serious turn.
The Prime Minister apologised to Wes Streeting, the media have been told. The conversation was concise, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under increasing scrutiny to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Reaction
In his early morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to concentrate on national matters rather than internal divisions.
Clearly, I think the media briefing has been damaging, without doubt.
But my advice to the Labour party today is quite simple, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not ourselves.
We were given a significant mandate last summer, a historic opportunity to change our country. And we have a historic responsibility.
Growth Update
Meanwhile, official data indicated the British economic performance increased by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector particularly impacted by the recently reported JLR hack.
The Day's Agenda
- Morning: The National Health Service issues its monthly data
- Morning: Wes Streeting visits Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- Late morning: Number 10 conducts its regular media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer highlights government plans for the Britain's first nuclear power facility at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey
