Miliband gets tough

By
Chris Moncrieff

Last updated at 4:35 PM on 1st February 2012

Has somebody quietly inserted a booster in Ed Miliband’s early-morning cup of tea? Because, all of a sudden, the Labour leader’s performance has been transformed from mediocre to impressive, from feeble to robust, and from unconvincing and hesitant to vigorous. and forceful.

Until recently Miliband had been at the receiving end of adverse criticism from his own ranks, with Lord Mandelson accusing him of struggling. Many Labour MPs – who frankly would have preferred his brother David as their leader – were in near despair at his showing, particularly in the House of Commons, where David Cameron regularly wiped the floor with him.

Then a week ago, with the publication of the disheartening unemployment figures, Miliband suddenly blossomed forth. Admittedly, this was an open goal for an Opposition, but Miliband revelled in the opportunity it offered to him. For once, Cameron appeared to be on the back-foot.

Flexing his muscles: Miliband performed well against Cameron and seemed to have great support from his back benches

Flexing his muscles: Miliband performed well against Cameron and seemed to have great support from his back benches

Then came the row over the £963,000 bonus awarded to the Royal Bank of Scotland chief Stephen Hester. Miliband, outraged by  this award, was ready to force a House of Commons debate on the issue. It was this threat which, at least in part, caused Hester to waive the bonus.

Following that was the Prime Minister’s statement on the EU summit during which his triumphant announcement in December that he would block the use of EU institutions by countries signing up to the fiscal compact began to look distinctly wobbly.

It was on this issue that Miliband delivered one of his best lines since becoming Leader of the Opposition: “With the Prime Minister,” he said, “a veto is not for life – it’s just for Christmas.”

This had Labour MPs roaring their approval and guffawing openly at a disconcerted David Cameron.

This transformation of Miliband had the Labour benches again roaring in support when he opened up at Prime Minister’s question time on Wednesday. Miliband went for the jugular, raising the issue of high earners among bankers.

Cameron gave as good as he got, but, unusually for him, suffered some painful political bruises in the process.

Miliband has started to flex his muscles – and to good effect.

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His “performance” is utterly irrelevent, when like me you lived through the history, the truth. Just another bunch of socialist brain-deads.

what a looser

Miliband was formerly the ‘Labour’ minister for ‘climate change’, the Brussels tax hiking con. His brother countersigned the Lisbon lie with Brown without mandate. Cameron, Clegg, Miliband, they all add up to the same thing – the EU.

Seems to me he has his rehearsed questions and that he cant handle any deviation or natural or jokey push back by Cameron. The author of this article may be being paid by micropede but it won’t fool the public. He is too tainted and anything coming out of his mouth will be total hypocrisy. Tainted by association by such terrible mismanagement can never be forgiven.

The line was good; the delivery was wooden.

I seem to remember our dear leader Maggie let loose the dogs of war, sorry capitalist dogs of war.

I listened to PMs question time today this article could not be further from the truth. Milliband trotted out the same old chestnuts. Does he not remember that it was his lot, aided by him, who encouraged the banks gave Fred his title. I am afraid that Ed is a waste of space as is the rest of the shadow cabinet, not a diamond amongst them.

Adenoidal Ed has the “Michael Foot” syndrome. Wet as suet pudding at a small boarding school in Cornwall. “A Miliband is not for life, it`s just until his brother catches up with him.” ( Now THAT`S, funny!)

Oh dear, this artical is depressing. According to the author Ed Miliband’s best line was……. ” a veto is not for life, its just for Christmas “….Well how we laughed.!! He will need more than those one liners to stay as leader of Labour……TOUGH…… DREAM ON

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