Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Calls on Labour to Look Ahead After Keir Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Negative Media Leaks
High-ranking Labour figure Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party disputes after leader Sir Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over damaging briefings coming from Downing Street.
Important Updates
- Ed Miliband declares the Prime Minister will sack the No 10 source behind for attacking Streeting if discovered
- Miliband rejects any leadership plans, stating his past experience as leader was the "best inoculation" against wanting the role again
- British economic growth expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, impacted by the JLR cyber-attack
Background
The internal unrest started after media stories surfaced about hostile briefings from the Prime Minister's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial efforts to dismiss the matter, the talk between Starmer and the health minister according to sources took a different direction.
Starmer apologised to Streeting, journalists have been told. The conversation was short, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under pressure to sack.
Miliband's Reaction
In his early morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the Labour Party to focus on country-wide matters rather than internal divisions.
Clearly, I think the media briefing has been damaging, no question.
But my advice to the party now is quite simple, which is we need to prioritize the public, not ourselves.
We were given a major victory last summer, a major chance to improve our country. And we have a serious duty.
Economic Update
Meanwhile, official statistics revealed the British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the manufacturing industry especially affected by the recent JLR security incident.
The Day's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England publishes its latest statistics
- Today: Wes Streeting visits the Liverpool area
- Morning: Rachel Reeves speaks to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its daily media briefing
- Morning: The Prime Minister announces plans for the Britain's first small modular reactor facility at Wylfa on Anglesey
