Ed Miliband Urges Labour to Look Ahead Following Keir Starmer Apologises to Wes Streeting for Hostile Media Leaks

High-ranking Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has urged the party to move beyond party tensions after PM Keir Starmer personally apologised to health minister Wes Streeting MP over damaging media stories originating from the Prime Minister's office.

Important Developments

• Ed Miliband declares Starmer will sack the No 10 staffer behind for briefing against Streeting if found
• Miliband rejects future leadership ambitions, saying his past time as leader was the "strongest protection" against desiring the position again
• British economic growth grew by just 0.1% in the July-September period, impacted by the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack

Context

The internal turmoil started after reports circulated about negative briefings from the Prime Minister's team targeting Streeting. Despite initial efforts to dismiss the matter, the discussion between Starmer and Streeting according to sources followed a more serious turn.

Starmer expressed regret to Streeting, the media have been advised. The conversation was brief, and they did not address the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to sack.

The Energy Secretary's Response

In his early morning broadcast appearances, Miliband stressed the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on country-wide priorities rather than party disputes.

Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been bad, certainly.

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

We were given a major victory last July, a important opportunity to transform our country. And we have a serious duty.

Growth Update

Meanwhile, government data revealed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the production industry especially hit by the recently reported JLR security incident.

The Day's Schedule

• 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its latest performance figures
• Morning: The Health Secretary visits Liverpool
• Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the press
• 11.30am: Downing Street holds its regular media briefing
• Today: The Prime Minister promotes government plans for the Britain's pioneering nuclear power facility at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey