Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Encourages Labour to Look Ahead After Keir Starmer Says Sorry to Streeting for Negative Media Leaks
Senior Labour figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party disputes after leader Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting over hostile briefings coming from Downing Street.
Important Developments
- Ed Miliband declares the Prime Minister will fire the No 10 staffer responsible for attacking Streeting if found
- Miliband rejects future leadership plans, saying his past time as Labour leader was the "strongest protection" against wanting the position again
- British economic growth grew by just 0.1% in the July-September period, hit by the JLR security breach
Background
The political turmoil started after media stories surfaced about hostile background comments from the Prime Minister's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial efforts to dismiss the situation, the talk between Starmer and the health minister apparently took a different direction.
Starmer apologised to Streeting, reporters have been told. The exchange was brief, and they did not address Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under pressure to remove.
The Energy Secretary's Statement
In his early morning media appearances, Miliband highlighted the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on national issues rather than party disputes.
Clearly, I think the briefing has been bad, certainly.
But my message to the party today is clear, which is we need to concentrate on the country, not ourselves.
We were given a historic victory last summer, a major chance to change our nation. And we have a historic responsibility.
Growth Update
In other news, official statistics showed the UK economy grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the manufacturing industry particularly hit by the recently reported Jaguar Land Rover security incident.
Today's Schedule
- Morning: NHS England issues its latest statistics
- Today: The Health Secretary visits the Liverpool area
- Today: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
- Late morning: Number 10 holds its daily lobby briefing
- Morning: Keir Starmer highlights government plans for the Britain's pioneering nuclear power plant at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey
