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Senior Labour Party figure Ed Miliband has called for the party to leave behind internal conflicts after Prime Minister Keir Starmer personally expressed regret to Health Secretary Wes Streeting over negative media stories originating from Number 10.

Major Developments

• Miliband declares the Prime Minister will sack the Downing Street official responsible for targeting Streeting if identified
• The Energy Secretary rules out future leadership ambitions, declaring his past experience as leader was the "most effective vaccine" against wanting the position again
• UK economic growth grew by just 0.1% in the third quarter, hit by the JLR cyber-attack

Background

The internal controversy erupted after reports emerged about hostile briefings from the Prime Minister's team targeting the Health Secretary. Although initial attempts to dismiss the matter, the discussion between Starmer and the health minister according to sources took a different direction.

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

The Energy Secretary's Reaction

In his morning media appearances, Ed Miliband highlighted the need for the Labour Party to direct attention on national issues rather than party conflicts.

Clearly, I think the media briefing has been bad, certainly.

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

We were given a historic mandate last summer, a major opportunity to improve our country. And we have a major responsibility.

Growth Update

Meanwhile, official figures showed the UK economy increased by just 0.1% in the third quarter, with the industrial industry particularly hit by the recent Jaguar Land Rover security incident.

The Day's Schedule

• 9.30am: The National Health Service publishes its monthly data
• Today: Wes Streeting is visiting the Liverpool area
• Morning: Rachel Reeves speaks to the journalists
• Late morning: Number 10 holds its daily media briefing
• Today: The Prime Minister highlights plans for the UK's first nuclear power plant at Wylfa site on the island of Anglesey