Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Encourages Labour to Move On After Keir Starmer Says Sorry to Wes Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding
Senior Labour Party official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has demanded the party to leave behind party disputes after leader Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting over hostile media stories originating from the Prime Minister's office.
Key Developments
- Ed Miliband declares the Prime Minister will dismiss the Downing Street staffer responsible for attacking Wes Streeting if found
- Miliband rules out future leadership plans, declaring his previous experience as leader was the "strongest protection" against wanting the role again
- UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Situation
The political turmoil erupted after reports emerged about hostile background comments from Starmer's supporters targeting Streeting. Although initial efforts to minimize the situation, the discussion between the PM and Streeting according to sources took a different turn.
Starmer apologised to Streeting, journalists have been informed. The conversation was short, and they did not talk about Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to remove.
Miliband's Response
In his early morning broadcast interviews, Miliband stressed the need for the party to direct attention on country-wide issues rather than internal disputes.
Clearly, I think the media briefing has been bad, without doubt.
But my message to the party today is straightforward, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not our internal matters.
We were given a significant mandate last July, a important opportunity to improve our nation. And we have a serious duty.
Economic Update
In other news, government data revealed the British economic performance grew by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the production industry especially hit by the recent Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack.
The Day's Agenda
- Morning: The National Health Service issues its monthly data
- Today: The Health Secretary visits the Liverpool area
- Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the journalists
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its regular media briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister announces plans for the Britain's pioneering nuclear power facility at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey
