Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Offers Apology to Streeting for Negative Briefings
High-ranking Labour official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to put aside party conflicts after leader Sir Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over negative briefings coming from Number 10.
Major Events
- Ed Miliband declares Starmer will sack the No 10 official behind for briefing against Streeting if discovered
- The Energy Secretary rejects any party leader ambitions, declaring his previous experience as Labour leader was the "best inoculation" against wanting the role again
- UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, affected by the JLR security breach
Context
The political controversy erupted after media stories circulated about negative background comments from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Despite early attempts to downplay the matter, the discussion between the PM and the health minister apparently followed a different turn.
Starmer apologised to Streeting, the media have been told. The discussion was short, and they did not talk about the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to sack.
Miliband's Response
In his early morning broadcast interviews, Miliband highlighted the need for the Labour Party to focus on national issues rather than party divisions.
Look, I think the briefing has been damaging, certainly.
But my call to the Labour members now is clear, which is we need to focus on the nation, not each other.
We were given a major mandate last summer, a historic opportunity to transform our nation. And we have a historic duty.
Growth News
Meanwhile, government figures showed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the industrial sector especially impacted by the recent JLR cyber-attack.
Today's Schedule
- 9.30am: NHS England releases its latest performance figures
- Morning: The Health Secretary visits the Liverpool area
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the journalists
- 11.30am: Number 10 conducts its daily media briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister announces plans for the UK's first small modular reactor project at Wylfa on Anglesey
