🔗 Share this article

Senior Labour official Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to leave behind internal conflicts after Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP over hostile leaked comments originating from Number 10.

Key Developments

• Miliband declares Starmer will fire the Downing Street source behind for targeting Wes Streeting if found
• The Energy Secretary rules out future party leader aspirations, saying his previous time as Labour leader was the "most effective inoculation" against desiring the position again
• UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, affected by the Jaguar Land Rover security breach

Context

The internal turmoil began after media stories surfaced about negative briefings from Starmer's allies targeting Streeting. Despite early efforts to downplay the incident, the conversation between Starmer and the health minister apparently followed a more serious direction.

Starmer apologised to Streeting, reporters have been told. The discussion was short, and they did not talk about the chief of staff, whom the PM is now under growing pressure to remove.

The Energy Secretary's Response

In his early morning broadcast appearances, Miliband emphasized the need for the Labour Party to concentrate on country-wide issues rather than internal conflicts.

Look, I think the briefing has been unhelpful, no question.

But my advice to the Labour party now is clear, which is we need to concentrate on the public, not ourselves.

We were given a major victory last summer, a major opportunity to change our country. And we have a serious responsibility.

Growth Update

In other news, government figures indicated the UK economy increased by just 0.1% in the July-September period, with the industrial sector particularly affected by the recent Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack.

Today's Agenda

• 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its latest statistics
• Morning: Wes Streeting is visiting Liverpool
• Morning: The Chancellor speaks to the press
• Late morning: Downing Street holds its daily lobby briefing
• Today: The Prime Minister highlights government plans for the UK's first small modular reactor facility at Wylfa on Anglesey