Ed Miliband Urges the Labour Party to Focus Forward After Keir Starmer Offers Apology to Streeting for Hostile Backgrounding

Senior Labour figure Ed Miliband has called for the party to put aside internal disputes after PM Keir Starmer personally apologised to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over negative leaked comments coming from the Prime Minister's office.

Important Updates

• Ed Miliband states Starmer will fire the Downing Street staffer behind for briefing against Streeting if found
• The Energy Secretary dismisses any party leader ambitions, declaring his past time as leader was the "best vaccine" against wanting the role again
• UK economy grew by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover hack

Situation

The internal controversy started after allegations surfaced about negative background comments from Starmer's allies targeting the Health Secretary. Despite early attempts to downplay the matter, the talk between the PM and Streeting reportedly took a more serious direction.

The Prime Minister said sorry to Wes Streeting, the media have been told. The discussion was concise, and they did not discuss the chief of staff, whom Starmer is now under growing pressure to sack.

The Energy Secretary's Reaction

In his morning broadcast appearances, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to focus on national priorities rather than internal conflicts.

Look, I think the media briefing has been bad, no question.

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

We were given a historic election win last July, a historic opportunity to change our nation. And we have a historic duty.

Growth News

Separately, government statistics showed the UK economy expanded by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the industrial sector especially impacted by the recent JLR cyber-attack.

Today's Schedule

• Morning: The National Health Service releases its monthly performance figures
• Morning: The Health Secretary is visiting Liverpool
• Today: The Chancellor speaks to the journalists
• Late morning: Number 10 holds its regular lobby briefing
• Today: The Prime Minister highlights government plans for the UK's pioneering small modular reactor facility at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey