Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Focus Forward After Starmer Apologises to Wes Streeting for Negative Briefings
High-ranking Labour Party official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has urged the party to move beyond party tensions after leader Sir Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting MP over hostile media stories linked to Number 10.
Important Events
- Miliband declares Starmer will dismiss the No 10 staffer behind for attacking Wes Streeting if discovered
- The Energy Secretary rejects any party leader plans, saying his past time as Labour leader was the "strongest inoculation" against seeking the position again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1% in the third quarter, impacted by the JLR cyber-attack
Situation
The political turmoil began after allegations surfaced about critical briefings from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Although early efforts to downplay the situation, the conversation between the PM and Streeting apparently followed a different direction.
Starmer apologised to Wes Streeting, the media have been informed. The conversation was brief, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under increasing scrutiny to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Reaction
In his early morning broadcast appearances, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the party to concentrate on national issues rather than internal conflicts.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been unhelpful, certainly.
But my advice to the Labour members today is clear, which is we need to prioritize the public, not our internal matters.
We were given a historic victory last July, a historic chance to transform our nation. And we have a historic duty.
Economic News
In other news, government figures indicated the UK economic performance increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the industrial industry particularly hit by the recently reported JLR hack.
Today's Agenda
- Morning: NHS England issues its monthly performance figures
- Morning: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
- Today: The Chancellor speaks to the journalists
- 11.30am: Number 10 holds its regular lobby briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister promotes plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power plant at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey
