Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Encourages Labour to Focus Forward Following Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Negative Backgrounding
High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has called for the party to leave behind party tensions after leader Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting over negative briefings coming from Number 10.
Key Updates
- Miliband states the Prime Minister will fire the No 10 official responsible for targeting Wes Streeting if found
- Miliband rules out any leadership aspirations, saying his previous experience as leader was the "strongest vaccine" against desiring the role again
- British economy grew by just 0.1% in the third quarter, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Situation
The political controversy erupted after media stories emerged about hostile background comments from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting Streeting. Although initial efforts to minimize the incident, the talk between the PM and the health minister apparently took a more serious direction.
Starmer expressed regret to Wes Streeting, journalists have been informed. The conversation was short, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under pressure to dismiss.
The Energy Secretary's Response
In his morning broadcast interviews, Miliband stressed the need for the party to focus on national issues rather than internal divisions.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been bad, certainly.
But my advice to the Labour members today is straightforward, which is we need to focus on the nation, not each other.
We were given a major mandate last July, a important opportunity to change our nation. And we have a major responsibility.
Economic Update
In other news, official statistics indicated the British economic performance grew by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the manufacturing industry particularly affected by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover hack.
The Day's Agenda
- 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its latest data
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting the Liverpool area
- Today: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Number 10 holds its regular lobby briefing
- Morning: The Prime Minister highlights plans for the UK's first small modular reactor project at Wylfa on Anglesey
