Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Look Ahead Following Keir Starmer Offers Apology to Wes Streeting for Hostile Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside party disputes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting over negative leaked comments originating from Number 10.
Major Developments
- Miliband states the Prime Minister will fire the Downing Street official behind for targeting Streeting if found
- Miliband rejects future leadership ambitions, saying his past 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 JLR cyber-attack
Situation
The political controversy started after allegations circulated about critical briefings from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial efforts to minimize the matter, the discussion between Starmer and the health minister reportedly took a different turn.
Starmer apologised to Streeting, journalists have been advised. The discussion was concise, and they did not address Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to dismiss.
Miliband's Statement
In his early morning media appearances, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on country-wide issues rather than internal conflicts.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been unhelpful, without doubt.
But my message to the Labour members today is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a historic mandate last July, a important chance to improve our country. And we have a historic obligation.
Growth News
Separately, government statistics revealed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the industrial sector particularly hit by the recent Jaguar Land Rover security incident.
The Day's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England issues its monthly performance figures
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting the Liverpool area
- Morning: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its regular media briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister promotes plans for the UK's pioneering small modular reactor project at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey
