Ed Miliband Encourages the Labour Party to Focus Forward After Starmer Offers Apology to Streeting for Negative Media Leaks
High-ranking Labour official Ed Miliband has demanded the party to put aside party tensions after PM Keir Starmer directly said sorry to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over hostile leaked comments originating from Number 10.
Key Events
- Miliband declares the Prime Minister will dismiss the Downing Street staffer responsible for attacking Streeting if discovered
- The Energy Secretary rules out future party leader plans, saying his previous experience as leader was the "most effective inoculation" against wanting the role again
- UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, affected by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach
Situation
The political turmoil started after reports emerged about negative background comments from Starmer's team targeting the Health Secretary. Despite initial efforts to dismiss the matter, the talk between the PM and the health minister according to sources followed a different turn.
Starmer said sorry to Streeting, the media have been advised. The discussion was short, and they did not address Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to remove.
Miliband's Statement
In his early morning media interviews, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to direct attention on country-wide matters rather than party divisions.
Look, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, no question.
But my advice to the party today is straightforward, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not each other.
We were given a major victory last July, a major chance to change our country. And we have a serious duty.
Growth News
In other news, government statistics showed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the industrial industry particularly hit by the recently reported JLR hack.
The Day's Schedule
- Morning: The National Health Service issues its monthly performance figures
- Morning: The Health Secretary visits Liverpool
- Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- 11.30am: Downing Street holds its regular lobby briefing
- Today: The Prime Minister highlights government plans for the UK's pioneering nuclear power project at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey
