Ed Miliband fights back against his critics

January 7th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

‘We have taken the hard road’ says Labour leader
He takes on Cameron over executive pay
Alistair Darling touted as ‘compromise’ leader

By
Craig Mackenzie

Last updated at 4:36 PM on 7th January 2012

Miliband: Taking on Cameron over executive pay

Labour leader Ed Miliband has hit back at critics of his leadership, insisting he ‘relished the fight.’ to restore public confidence in his party.

At the end of a tough week for the Opposition, Mr Miliband rubbished suggestions of splits within the shadow cabinet over the need to accept some spending cuts.

And he struck a combative note over executive pay ahead of announcements expected this weekend by David Cameron on the issue – saying voters would never believe the Prime Minister wanted a ‘more responsible capitalism’.

‘These are the hard yards of opposition. We have taken the hard road, not the line of least resistance,’ he said when confronted with criticisms of his 15-month tenure.

Privately, Labour MPs are touting the name of former Chancellor Alistair Darling as a ‘compromise’ leader if Mr Miliband is unable to steady his faltering leadership.

He would be seen as a ‘John Major’ figure to steady the party, but it is unclear if Mr Darling could be persuaded to stand.

Labour peer Lord Glasman, the architect of the Blue Labour philosophy who has advised the leader in the past, complained this week that the party appeared to have ‘no strategy, no narrative and little energy’.

Under Mr Miliband, the Opposition ‘show no signs of winning, the economic argument’, he added.

But Mr Miliband defended his record as ‘the guy who took on Murdoch’ over phone hacking and called for a shake-up of capitalism to remove ‘predatory’ firms.

He told the Guardian newspaper: ‘I always knew it was going to be a fight. It is one I relish – I never expected it to be anything else,’ he said.

Shadow cabinet member Jim Murphy

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls

Cuts: Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy and shadow chancellor Ed Balls

‘What is the most important thing for a leader of the opposition to have? It is to establish an argument about what is wrong with the country and what needs to change.

‘I have a very clear plan and I have set out very clear themes.’

Cameron: Challenge on responsible capitalism in Britain

The Conservatives seized on remarks by shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy that Labour needed to show ‘credibility’ by explaining where it would make cuts as signs of dissent against the leadership.

But Mr Miliband said in fact Mr Murphy’s announcement that he would accept £5 billion-worth of the Government’s military cuts was ‘exactly what (shadow chancellor) Ed Balls said he wanted shadow ministers to do.

‘There are lots of cuts we are not going to be able to reverse. That is the way it is. To say otherwise would not be credible,’ he told the Guardian.

Winning back public faith in Labour’s ability to handle the economy would take time though, he cautioned.

‘It is an incredibly important task, not something that takes place in six months or a year. We – Ed and I – get this more than anyone, that this is an important task for Labour.’

The Prime Minister has signalled that he will unveil further measures to curb bankers’ bonuses this weekend, saying the level of City remuneration was ‘completely out of whack’.

Mr Miliband challenged him to match Labour’s pledges on the issue.

‘If one of the big battlegrounds of British politics is going to be who is really going to take action on executive pay, I say ‘bring it on’. I promise you they are not going to steal a march on us in this area.

‘Does anyone really believe that David Cameron came into politics to create a more responsible capitalism? The public are not going to buy it.

‘My test for him on executive pay is whether he would do what Labour would do if we were in office now: put an employee representative on every remuneration committee, make firms publish their pay ratios, empower pension companies and investors, and have another year of the bank bonus tax to get some of our young people back to work.

‘There can’t be any more foot-dragging and backsliding. If David Cameron wants a more responsible capitalism – responsibility at the top and the bottom – then this would be a start.’

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The current Labour plan (if it can be called that) is to automatically create contradictory sound bites against whatever the coalition proposes or says. So, if Cameron was to say tomorrow that yellow is a good colour for front doors they would say that “it’s unfair to disadvantage the loyal pink doors”. How about “we should pay more taxes over £25K PA ” – they would say that “it offends the hard workers who work extra overtime”. They do not have a coherent policy and they have a weak shadow cabinet led by a weak leader.
Anyone notice that David Milliband, the brighter, charismatic and more promising brother, is being very quiet right now? A clever move if you are just lying in wait for a golden opportunity methinks.
Good opposition is a good thing. Bad opposition is a wasted opportunity.

– David, Pwllheli, North Wales, 07/1/2012 16:57

I am sick of looking and listening to the utter drivel of this unelectable git. His wonderful party’s policies are the real reason this country is in the state it is now. Mind you, it is good that he is the Labour Party leader as it means that they have no chance in the world to win the elections. Keep him, guys.

– Maya, London, 07/1/2012 16:56

Dead man walking.

– Barney, Chester, UK, 07/1/2012 16:55

Pathetic little parasite

– mick, glos, 07/1/2012 16:54

Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but if I ever would have thought about returning to Labour, Diane Abbott has scotched that (no offence to those north of the border).

– Edgar, Newcastle, 07/1/2012 16:52

To quote Private Fraser of Dad’s Army: ‘The man is doomed!’ He ain’t got the brains, the personality or the appeal. A blancmange has more appeal! He is also focus of what Labour has always done best, infighting. When out of government it self- destructs,when in power it wrecks the country.The sane electorate would find any government a better option than the ineptitude of Labour. Long may the present status quo be!

– Terence, Hereford, UK, 07/1/2012 16:51

You need to distance yourself from the the old boys of new labour before anyone takes you seriously. Oh wait a minute you are one of the old boys. The Labour Party needs a major clear out and maybe a plan before anyone except those who like to be financially spoon fed by the state take them seriously again. You have got no chance Mr Second choice.

– AF, LFC, 07/1/2012 16:51

Odd looking fella who talks out of the side of his face

– death to racists, sittingbourne, 07/1/2012 16:50

Labour is a party full of Runt politicians, weak and feeble with no direction or real life experience
Mili, Balls and Darling are very responsible for the mess the country was left in by Labour.
ZERO credibility party.

– C Pearce, Camberley UK, 07/1/2012 16:43

I have, today, placed a bet of £25 that Milliband is not the labour party leader in 2013. I do love bets that are a certain winner!

– John, Swindon, Wilts., 07/1/2012 16:42

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