Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Encourages the Labour Party to Focus Forward After Starmer Apologises to Wes Streeting for Aggressive Briefings

Senior Labour official Ed Miliband has urged the party to move beyond internal disputes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally apologised to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over damaging leaked comments linked to Number 10.

Important Developments

• Miliband confirms the Prime Minister will fire the No 10 source behind for attacking Streeting if found
• The Energy Secretary rejects future party leader aspirations, declaring his previous experience as Labour leader was the "strongest inoculation" against seeking the role again
• UK economic growth expanded by just 0.1% in the third quarter, hit by the Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack

Situation

The internal unrest erupted after reports surfaced about negative background comments from the Prime Minister's allies targeting Streeting. Despite early efforts to dismiss the matter, the discussion between the PM and the health minister apparently followed a more serious direction.

The Prime Minister expressed regret to Streeting, journalists have been advised. The exchange was brief, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom the PM is now under increasing scrutiny to remove.

Miliband's Statement

In his morning media appearances, Ed Miliband stressed the need for the party to focus on country-wide issues rather than party divisions.

Clearly, I think the backgrounding has been damaging, no question.

But my advice to the party today is clear, which is we need to concentrate on the country, not ourselves.

We were given a significant election win last summer, a historic opportunity to change our country. And we have a major obligation.

Growth Update

Meanwhile, official data revealed the British economy expanded by just 0.1 percent in the July-September period, with the manufacturing sector particularly affected by the recently reported JLR hack.

Today's Agenda

• Morning: The National Health Service publishes its monthly performance figures
• Morning: The Health Secretary visits the Liverpool area
• Today: The Chancellor makes comments to the media
• Late morning: Downing Street conducts its regular media briefing
• Morning: The Prime Minister promotes plans for the UK's first nuclear power plant at Wylfa site on Anglesey