‘I feel sorry for David’, Ed Miliband tells Channel 4 News
“Do you feel guilty?”, was my opener with Ed Miliband this morning in Manchester as we wait for his brother David to announce in London in a few hours that he is stepping back from frontline politics. “I feel sorry for David”, was the answer. But the new Labour leader insists he did the right thing for his family in standing against his brother, and David will make a contribution to British politics.
You can watch the interview tonight, or online later today, but in it he insists he has got a mandate to lead the Labour Party despite losing among the MP’s, Shadow Cabinet and party membership. On policy we got more of an idea on what he means when he says Alistair Darlings plan to cut the deficit by half in four years is just his starting point. He says he wants to raise more in tax and cut less than Alistair Darling wanted. That means if the balance between cuts and taxation in the current government is 76% cuts to 24% tax, and Alistair Darling wanted it to be 67% cuts 33% tax, Ed Miliband wants to go even further. On immigration he says he is not talking about reversing the free movement of labour across Europe, so it is not clear how he would stop foreign workers accepting lower pay than British workers. He says he was not just talking about bankers when it comes to tackling high pay, and yes, he is likely to marry his girlfriend Justine when he has time!
There are 7 comments on this post
I find that a somewhat arrogant attitude. It may well turn out in the fullness of time that David M was the long-term winner. Ed M ‘won’ this round, but there’s a bumpy road ahead for all of us – including him.
Labour needs ‘change’ says Ed. By which he means regression to the ’80s approach of tax and spend that kept Labour out of power for a generation.
After we’ve had five years of the current squeeze, going to the polls on a message of tax increases is a losing strategy.
Quite right, Tom. The coalition has a clear re-election strategy, learnt from Blair & Co but obviously disregarded by Mr Ed in his moment of personal delight.
Dave & Nick will inflict massive pain from 2011 to 2013 (taking hits at local elections as the price) but, just in time for the next general election in 2015, will be able to deliver substantial tax cuts to the middle-earners and benefits to pensioners, who always represent the vast majority of active voters.
That will guarantee a second term, either Tory alone or still joined-at-the-hip, ensuring that Mr Ed’s impotent pontificating merely condemns ‘New Generation Labour’ to yet more futile opposition, fratricidal infighting and disarray. After which they might even need to get Mandelson back again.
Nothing changes.
I found the first half of this interview appalling. The whole Miliband family psycho-drama business is of no interest to serious followers of the news. It was reminiscent of that cringeworthy Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales.
If your excuse is that your viewers are interested, I would refer you to the line in Bernard Crick’s A Very Short Introduction to Democracy (Oxford University Press) where he refers to the press “who mendaciously confuse the public interest with what the public are interested in.”
I for one expect better of Channel 4 news.
I have to disagree. The relationship between the two brothers, and how they feel about the outcome of the leadership election is absolutely central to this week’s events. It is very serious, and absolutely the right the thing to pursue on the day David Miliband steps back from the front bench. But thanks for your comment
I’m sure it is central to the events as the Miliband’s experienced them, and for them no doubt very serious – but can you explain how that moves it from the ‘private’ and into the ‘public’ domain?
Crick was referring to salacious coverage – vicars and tarts stories dressed as public interest to serve the interests of the prurient. Stories, for example, like formula one supremos indulging in bondage.
The Milliband psychodrama, as you put it, is entirely relevant because it tells us something we need to know about the character of a man who aspires to lead the country.
Ed’s supporters are so delighted to have their man in, they are overlooking the uncomfortable truth of how he got there. Twice persuading your brother not to stand, and then standing against him paints a picture of a ruthless and unpleasant man.