Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Move On After Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Hostile Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has called for the party to put aside party tensions after PM Sir Keir Starmer personally expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting over damaging leaked comments linked to the Prime Minister's office.
Key Updates
- Ed Miliband states the Prime Minister will sack the No 10 staffer responsible for targeting Streeting if discovered
- The Energy Secretary rejects future leadership ambitions, declaring his previous experience as Labour leader was the "strongest inoculation" against seeking the role again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, affected by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Situation
The political unrest started after media stories surfaced about negative briefings from Starmer's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Although early efforts to minimize the matter, the discussion between Starmer and the health minister reportedly took a different direction.
Starmer apologised to Wes Streeting, the media have been told. The exchange was concise, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under increasing scrutiny to dismiss.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to concentrate on country-wide priorities rather than internal disputes.
Look, I think the media briefing has been bad, no question.
But my call to the Labour members today is clear, which is we need to prioritize the public, not each other.
We were given a significant victory last summer, a major opportunity to improve our nation. And we have a major responsibility.
Economic Update
Meanwhile, government figures indicated the British economy increased by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the industrial sector particularly impacted by the recent JLR cyber-attack.
The Day's Agenda
- 9.30am: The National Health Service issues its latest performance figures
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street conducts its regular lobby briefing
- Today: Keir Starmer promotes plans for the UK's pioneering small modular reactor facility at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey