🔗 Share this article

Senior Labour official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to leave behind internal disputes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer directly said sorry to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over negative briefings linked to Number 10.

Major Developments

• Ed Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will fire the Downing Street source responsible for briefing against Streeting if identified
• The Energy Secretary rules out any leadership aspirations, saying his previous experience as Labour leader was the "most effective protection" against desiring the position again
• UK economic growth grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the JLR cyber-attack

Situation

The political unrest erupted after reports circulated about negative background comments from Starmer's supporters targeting the Health Secretary. Although early attempts to minimize the situation, the conversation between the PM and Streeting according to sources took a more serious turn.

Starmer said sorry to Streeting, the media have been informed. The exchange was brief, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under pressure to dismiss.

Miliband's Response

In his early morning broadcast interviews, Miliband stressed the need for the party to focus on country-wide matters rather than party disputes.

Look, I think the backgrounding has been bad, no question.

But my call to the party today is quite simple, which is we need to concentrate on the nation, not our internal matters.

We were given a significant victory last July, a historic chance to improve our country. And we have a major duty.

Economic Update

Meanwhile, official statistics revealed the British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the industrial sector particularly hit by the recently reported JLR security incident.

The Day's Agenda

• 9.30am: NHS England publishes its monthly data
• Today: The Health Secretary is visiting Liverpool
• Today: The Chancellor speaks to the media
• 11.30am: Downing Street conducts its regular media briefing
• Today: Keir Starmer highlights plans for the UK's first nuclear power project at Wylfa on Anglesey