Ed Miliband Encourages Labour to Move On After Keir Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Negative Briefings
Senior Labour Party official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has demanded the party to put aside party disputes after PM Sir Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over negative briefings linked to Downing Street.
Major Events
- Ed Miliband states Starmer will fire the No 10 staffer responsible for targeting Streeting if identified
- The Energy Secretary dismisses any party leader plans, stating his previous time as leader was the "most effective vaccine" against seeking the role again
- British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, impacted by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Situation
The internal controversy started after media stories circulated about negative background comments from Starmer's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Although early efforts to minimize the situation, the discussion between Starmer and Streeting apparently took a more serious turn.
The Prime Minister said sorry to Streeting, the media have been informed. The discussion was brief, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to remove.
Miliband's Response
In his early morning media interviews, Miliband emphasized the need for the Labour Party to focus on country-wide issues rather than party conflicts.
Clearly, I think the briefing has been unhelpful, no question.
But my call to the Labour party now is quite simple, which is we need to focus on the public, not ourselves.
We were given a significant victory last July, a major opportunity to change our country. And we have a historic duty.
Economic Update
Meanwhile, official figures indicated the UK economic performance expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the manufacturing sector particularly hit by the recently reported JLR cyber-attack.
The Day's Agenda
- 9.30am: The National Health Service issues its latest data
- Today: Wes Streeting visits the Liverpool area
- Morning: Rachel Reeves makes comments to the journalists
- 11.30am: Number 10 conducts its regular media briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister announces plans for the UK's first nuclear power plant at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey