Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Move On After Starmer Apologises to Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding
Senior Labour figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has urged the party to put aside internal conflicts after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer directly apologised to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over hostile leaked comments coming from Downing Street.
Key Events
- Ed Miliband states the Prime Minister will fire the No 10 official responsible for briefing against Streeting if found
- The Energy Secretary rules out future leadership plans, saying his past time as Labour leader was the "best protection" against wanting the position again
- British economic growth increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover hack
Context
The internal turmoil erupted after media stories emerged about hostile background comments from Starmer's team targeting Streeting. Although initial efforts to downplay the matter, the discussion between Starmer and Streeting reportedly followed a different turn.
Starmer said sorry to Wes Streeting, the media have been told. The exchange was brief, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under increasing scrutiny to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Response
In his morning broadcast interviews, Ed Miliband emphasized the need for the party to direct attention on national matters rather than internal divisions.
Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been unhelpful, certainly.
But my advice to the Labour party now is quite simple, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not ourselves.
We were given a major mandate last July, a major chance to transform our nation. And we have a major responsibility.
Economic Update
Separately, government statistics showed the British economy expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the manufacturing sector particularly hit by the recent JLR hack.
Today's Agenda
- Morning: NHS England issues its monthly statistics
- Today: Wes Streeting is visiting the Liverpool area
- Morning: The Chancellor speaks to the press
- Late morning: Downing Street holds its daily media briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister highlights government plans for the UK's first nuclear power project at Wylfa site on Anglesey
