Ed Miliband Calls on the Labour Party to Look Ahead Following Keir Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Negative Briefings
Senior Labour Party official Ed Miliband has urged the party to move beyond party conflicts after PM Sir Keir Starmer directly said sorry to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over hostile leaked comments originating from Downing Street.
Key Events
- Miliband states Starmer will sack the Downing Street staffer behind for attacking Wes Streeting if identified
- Miliband rejects future leadership aspirations, saying his previous experience as Labour leader was the "strongest protection" against wanting the position again
- UK economic growth increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Background
The political turmoil began after media stories surfaced about hostile background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial attempts to downplay the incident, the discussion between the PM and the health minister apparently took a more serious direction.
The Prime Minister expressed regret to Streeting, reporters have been advised. The discussion was concise, and they did not talk about the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under increasing scrutiny to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Reaction
In his early morning media interviews, Ed Miliband emphasized the need for the party to concentrate on national priorities rather than party disputes.
Look, I think the briefing has been bad, certainly.
But my call to the Labour party today is clear, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not our internal matters.
We were given a major election win last July, a important opportunity to improve our nation. And we have a historic responsibility.
Growth Update
In other news, official figures showed the UK economic performance increased by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the manufacturing industry especially impacted by the recent JLR security incident.
Today's Agenda
- 9.30am: NHS England issues its latest statistics
- Today: The Health Secretary is visiting Liverpool
- Morning: Rachel Reeves makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Number 10 holds its daily media briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer highlights plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power plant at Wylfa on Anglesey
