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High-ranking Labour Party figure Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for the party to move beyond party disputes after leader Sir Keir Starmer directly expressed regret to health minister Wes Streeting over negative leaked comments linked to Downing Street.

Key Developments

• Ed Miliband declares the Prime Minister will dismiss the Downing Street source behind for targeting Wes Streeting if discovered
• The Energy Secretary rejects any party leader plans, declaring his previous time as leader was the "strongest inoculation" against desiring the position again
• UK economy grew by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, hit by the JLR cyber-attack

Context

The political controversy erupted after media stories surfaced about hostile briefings from the Prime Minister's allies targeting Streeting. Despite initial attempts to dismiss the situation, the discussion between the PM and Streeting apparently followed a different direction.

Starmer expressed regret to Streeting, the media have been told. The discussion was brief, and they did not discuss Morgan McSweeney, whom Starmer is now under increasing scrutiny to sack.

The Energy Secretary's Reaction

In his early morning media interviews, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the Labour Party to focus on country-wide issues rather than internal divisions.

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

But my call to the Labour party now is clear, which is we need to focus on the country, not ourselves.

We were given a historic victory last summer, a important opportunity to improve our country. And we have a historic duty.

Growth Update

Separately, official data revealed the UK economic performance expanded by just 0.1 percent in the third quarter, with the industrial industry especially affected by the recent Jaguar Land Rover cyber-attack.

Today's Schedule

• 9.30am: The National Health Service releases its latest statistics
• Today: Wes Streeting is visiting the Liverpool area
• Morning: The Chancellor makes comments to the media
• Late morning: Number 10 conducts its regular lobby briefing
• Morning: Keir Starmer highlights government plans for the UK's pioneering small modular reactor facility at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey