Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Look Ahead After Keir Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Negative Briefings
High-ranking Labour official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has demanded the party to leave behind internal disputes after leader Keir Starmer personally said sorry to health minister Wes Streeting over hostile media stories originating from the Prime Minister's office.
Key Events
- Ed Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will sack the Downing Street source behind for attacking Wes Streeting if found
- The Energy Secretary rejects any leadership plans, stating his past experience as leader was the "most effective protection" against seeking the position again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, impacted by the JLR security breach
Situation
The political controversy erupted after media stories surfaced about hostile background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial attempts to dismiss the matter, the talk between the PM and Streeting reportedly took a different direction.
The Prime Minister expressed regret to Streeting, reporters have been advised. The exchange was brief, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to remove.
Miliband's Response
In his morning broadcast appearances, Miliband stressed the need for the party to focus on national priorities rather than internal disputes.
Clearly, I think the media briefing has been unhelpful, without doubt.
But my call to the Labour members today is quite simple, which is we need to concentrate on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a historic victory last summer, a important opportunity to improve our nation. And we have a major responsibility.
Economic News
Separately, official figures showed the British economy expanded by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the production industry particularly affected by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover hack.
The Day's Agenda
- Morning: NHS England issues its monthly performance figures
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor makes comments to the journalists
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its regular lobby briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer promotes government plans for the Britain's pioneering small modular reactor facility at Wylfa site on Anglesey
