Miliband Disagrees with Streeting's Claim on Labour's Growth Strategy
Yesterday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting released his private WhatsApp messages exchanged with Peter Mandelson. These messages would have been published under the humble address passed by MPs last Wednesday, but Streeting, considered one of Mandelson's closest cabinet allies, chose to pre-empt the release due to potential risks.
The full set of messages is available on the website. Our coverage by Peter Walker and Pippa Crerar provides detailed insight.
In a message dated March last year, Streeting stated that the government had "no growth strategy at all." When questioned about this on , Energy Secretary Ed Miliband responded:
I think that actually Rachel has done a very good job as chancellor.
I don’t agree with – if that’s what, I haven’t seen the detail of the messages – but I think we’ve seen the stability that is essential.
We’ve seen investment. I’m announcing today.
Two urgent questions are scheduled in the Commons after 12:30 pm: one concerning the Ministry of Defence’s contracts with Palantir, and another regarding the Ministry of Justice’s "impending deletion of the Courtsdesk court reporting data archive," both tabled by the Conservative Party.
Following these, Ed Miliband will make a statement about the local power plan.
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan Supports Starmer but Calls for Delivery for Wales
Eluned Morgan, the Welsh First Minister, has publicly expressed her support for Keir Starmer. Yesterday, Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader and Morgan’s counterpart in opposition, called for Starmer to resign. Morgan remained silent at that time and did not join cabinet ministers advocating for Starmer’s continuation.
This morning, Morgan issued a statement:
I support the prime minister in the job he was elected to do. After years of revolving-door leadership under the Conservatives, the country needs stability in an age of instability, and that matters for Wales.
I had concerns that Peter Mandelson was incompatible with public office because of the company he kept. What has since come to light has only reinforced those concerns.
These issues are deeply troubling not least because, once again, the voices of women and girls were ignored.
That failure must be acknowledged and confronted honestly.
Leadership means upholding standards and acting when they fall short.
Ultimately, I judge any prime minister by a simple test: whether they deliver for Wales. I have been clear with Keir about what Wales needs. Action on the cost of living, investment in our economy and infrastructure, and a continued commitment to stronger devolution.
My focus remains on leading Wales with integrity and delivering real change for people here.
Government’s £1bn Community Energy Investment Plan Welcomed by Councils and Campaigners
During his interview defending the government’s growth record, Ed Miliband announced new investment related to community energy.
Our story by Severin Carrell and the official local power plan from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provide further details.
The plan has received positive responses from councils and campaigners. Arooj Shah, chair of the Local Government Association’s neighbourhoods board, stated:
We support the government’s ambition to back local and community energy and give people a real stake in the clean energy transition. Investment that helps communities co-own generation, cut bills and reinvest returns locally is a positive step.
Stew Horne from the Energy Saving Trust commented:
Today’s publication of the local power plan will ensure communities across the country can benefit from the clean energy transition. Backed by a new £1bn fund, the plan sets out a strong and ambitious vision – that by 2030, every community in the UK will have the opportunity to own or participate in local energy projects.
The focus on building capacity, capability and skills is essential. We know from our work delivering the Scottish government’s community and renewable energy scheme and the Welsh government energy service just how effective expert, tailored support can be in empowering communities to get projects off the ground.
Mathew Lawrence, director of the Common Wealth thinktank, added:
Putting power in the hands of ordinary communities can bring down bills and build durable support for the energy transition. But expanding local renewable production always required ambitious public action to overcome barriers of cost and coordination. That is why the local power plan is an exciting moment: a coherent strategy to decentralise and democratise energy production. It is a downpayment on the potential of GB Energy and a statement of what more ambitious public ownership and investment can deliver.
Miliband Rules Out Labour Leadership Bid
In interviews this morning, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband dismissed suggestions that Keir Starmer would soon leave office. On BBC Breakfast, when asked about Starmer's tenure, Miliband said, "I don’t agree with that." He also told BBC’s Nick Robinson that Robinson’s suggestion that Miliband’s call for more "boldness" implied he wanted Starmer to emulate Zack Polanski, the Green leader, was "a bit too far." Miliband noted he had "very limited contact" with Polanski.
When asked about running for Labour leadership again, Miliband told , "I’m not going to run."
Miliband Uncertain if Sarwar and Streeting Coordinated Leadership Challenge, Urges Party to Move On
The Telegraph reported today that Wes Streeting has been accused of orchestrating a leadership coup against Sir Keir Starmer. The report claims that Streeting spoke with Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, two days before Sarwar publicly called for Starmer to resign.
A left-wing Labour source told The Telegraph:
Everyone from the PM down to the most junior bag carrier knows who was behind the McChicken Coup. And his name rhymes with Les Weeting.
The "McChicken Coup" refers to efforts to use the removal of Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s chief of staff, to force the Prime Minister to step down.
A spokesperson for Streeting told The Telegraph:
Wes did not ask Anas to do this; he did not coordinate with Anas on this. Anas is the leader of the Scottish Labour party; he is his own man, and Wes has the highest respect for him.
In his interview, Miliband was asked if Sarwar had been plotting with Streeting. He replied, "I don’t know. I’m not going to get into the Kremlinology of all that." When asked about No 10 briefing against Streeting, Miliband said:
Move on dot org. I mean, let’s just get on. Let’s just move past all this.
Come on. I’m saying to our colleagues – don’t focus on yourselves. Focus on the country. That’s what Keir’s message was last night and he’s dead right.
Miliband Highlights Starmer’s Commitment to Ending Class Divide, Denies Class War Narrative
During his Today programme interview, Miliband said Starmer has a "burning passion" to end the class divide in British politics. Nick Robinson suggested this could be seen as promoting class war. A journalist from the Mail tweeted:
Ed Miliband suggests Starmer will now wage a new class war: ‘What angers Keir most is class, the class divide - he exists to change that.
‘I dispute the idea this is not someone driven by burning passion.
‘He knows we need more of that and we are going to see more of that
Miliband responded:
It means that so many people from working class backgrounds are looked down upon in our country, are held back in our country, whether it’s from not getting an apprenticeship, not being able to rise up. The inequalities we face hold people back.
Keir is about changing that, not just social mobility for a few, but recognition for everybody, a decent life for everybody. That’s what motivates him.
Absolute balderdash that it’s about class war.
The latest Politics Weekly UK podcast features Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discussing the recent leadership challenge.
Miliband Calls for 'Moment of Change' with Clarity and Boldness from Starmer
Following the events of yesterday, when Tim Allan’s resignation and Anas Sarwar’s no-confidence statement briefly suggested a leadership coup against Starmer, cabinet ministers and Angela Rayner rallied to support the Prime Minister.
Starmer is expected to appoint a new communications director at No 10. Ed Miliband’s media appearances have been noted for effectively defending Starmer, implying the premiership is not irreparably damaged.
In his Today programme interview, Miliband said the recent events must be a "moment of change" for the government:
Labour MPs looked over the precipice, once Anas Sarwar made his statement, and they didn’t like what they saw.
And they thought the right thing to do was to unite behind Keir, to focus on the country, because we didn’t want to go down the road of the Tories when they were in power – chaotic, disorderly leadership contest.
But I want to be very clear; Peter Mandelson should never have been appointed to this post. We are a government whose central purpose, I believe, is to stand up for the powerless, not the powerful, and it undermines that.
And this has got to be … a moment of change where we have much greater clarity of purpose, avoid some of the mistakes that we’ve made, but also focus outwards on the country.
Miliband acknowledged the government’s positive actions but noted they were being overshadowed by policy errors such as the removal of winter fuel payments. He emphasized the importance of values and moral mission in politics, stating Starmer has such a mission:
For 20 years, this country has been run for the wealthy and powerful, not ordinary working people. And the manifestation of that is this long-term cost of living crisis. We we exist to change that. That is our mission and everything must be consistent with that purpose.
Miliband described public anger and the demand for bold leadership. When Nick Robinson suggested Starmer lacked boldness, Miliband disagreed:
I know Keir well. I know somebody who is in politics for all the right reasons.
I’ll tell you what angers Keir most about this country. It’s class. It’s the class divide … He exists to change that. I absolutely dispute the idea that this isn’t somebody driven by burning passion about the injustices our country faces and how we need to change them. We need more of that. He knows we need more of that. I think we’re going to see more of that.
Although Miliband often spoke about his own beliefs, he denied any intention to seek Labour leadership again, saying, "Tried that, got the t-shirt."
Today’s Agenda
- Morning: Keir Starmer chairs a political cabinet.
- Morning: Kemi Badenoch visits London.
- 11:30 am: Ed Miliband takes questions in the Commons.
- Noon: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
- 12:20 pm: Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, speaks.
- 1:30 pm: Eluned Morgan takes questions in the Senedd.
- 2:30 pm: Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, gives evidence to the Commons home affairs committee.
- Afternoon: Starmer is expected to make a visit.
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