Miliband? A political freak says Retiring Labour Austin Mitchell

[arista]

[Miliband? A political freak. Prescott? He touched up my wife... and that's just two
of the parting shots from Labour's splendidly maverick MP as he stands down after 37 years
Retiring Austin Mitchell has become known for his off-message comments
He speaks candidly about his Labour colleagues in exclusive interview]


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2654679/Miliband-A-political-freak-Prescott-He-touched-wife.html#ixzz34KJniVbe


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/06/11/article-2654679-1E131E1D00000578-863_634x472.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/06/11/article-2654679-1DAAE2BA00000578-326_306x386.jpg

Yes Austin - Let It All Out

[Kizzy]

After telling me that he’s a ‘Miliband fan’, that his boss is a ‘nice guy’ and has ‘done a good job’, his verdict becomes less flattering.
‘The problem is, the modern language of politics is popularist and he doesn’t speak it. He’s far too cautious on policy, but he’s got to concentrate on values and ends. He goes a bit wooden on telly'


He looks like a political freak. Or maybe political geek. I won’t say “freak”, I’d better say geek, ha ha!
‘And those staring eyes! I mean, just look at them!’ he adds, waving a photo of Miliband at me. ‘That’s the problem.

I like geeks...

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2654679/Miliband-A-political-freak-Prescott-He-touched-wife.html#ixzz34KQCRMHG
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[Livia]

The Conservatives are desperate Miliband remaind Labour leader. He's one of the their greatest weapons for 2015, and Labour supporters insisting Miliband is the rightr man for the job are doing a great service to Conservatives everywhere.

Edit: Oh, and another thing... Tories up again over Labour who've sunk even lower in the polls, employment up, debt down... it's not looking good for Red Ed and his boys.

[Kizzy]

It's policies that matter not grandstanding, the conservatives aren't bothered if they win at the next general election my guess is they have made a nice lil earner over the last few years and that'll do nicely.
Personally I don't want to see the election descend into a 3 ring circus presidential election stylee... let's hope common sense prevails.

[joeysteele]

Oh gosh, Austin Mitchell and his rantings.I would have thought one of the best bits of news in politics was that he was going at the next election rather than giving him media coverage.

I cannot see at all however where the Conservatives with respect are in any position to improve on their showing just 4 years ago in 2010, whereas still,Labour are above where they were in 2010.

In fairness, I do agree that with a different leader to Ed Miliband,Labour would be doing better, however the same could be said for all the party leaders..
Ironically David Cameron still leading the Conservatives is seen as not to be trusted either,he will be quizzed heavily as to his guarantees on the NHS and all the targets he laid down in 2010 as vital to achieve by 2015.
All of which he is going to fall well short, so short in fact, he will be asking for virtually the same time again to do the same things.
He will also be the main reason the Conservatives will 'not' come anywhere near an overall majority in 2015.

It may also be that Labour do not get an overall majority either but they will be the ascending party of the main 3 after only one term in opposition.
It is really rare that any party voted out of Govt,manages to win in the very next election but I doubt many would bet against Labour being the largest party at least in 2015.

As for Nick Clegg, well him left leading the Lib Dems is a bonus for both main parties, for the Conservatives because of the many seats they will inevitably lose,because of the Lib Dems being so low in the polls the losses will be reduced by the seats they gain from the Lib Dems.

I have however yet to see a poll that says anything different to the others with the margin of error there is in polling.
Labour around the 35%+ mark,the Conservatives around the 35%- mark.
Any result in those margins would leave Labour as the overall winner in 2015 or near certainly the largest party.

Good news today on unemployment definitely, so there should be after the 4 years of austerity we have had.
How many I would like to know of those employed are in zero hours contract work and more to the point part time too.
Not so good news as to wage increases however today, showing a fall in that, so all is in fact very far from rosy at all.

As for Austin Mitchell, who really has taken notice of what he says anyway, oh and it's the Daily Mail too, the paper that is out to get Ed Miliband on any front, even to raking up shocking stories as to his deceased Father.

Funny how the Daily Mail is a respected publication when it has anyone saying negative things as to Ed Miliband but it is widely ignored should it dare to attack the Conservatives.

However, I hold the view that if people attack you to discredit you, they fear you so there seems to be a lot of fear as to Ed Miliband.
All I hope is that he and his team will fight his hardest to expose the welfare disgrace that this Govt has presided over,people waiting months now to just get their benefits sorted out or paid, that he also will make the NHS a major issue at the 2015 election and that he sticks to his guns on his energy plans too.
I only wish he would go all the way and say he will look at re-nationalising energy.I for one would support that and know a good number who would now too.

I think it is very true across the board that we have a really poor choice as to the leaders of the 3 main parties in 2015, however I have already made my choice.
Nick Clegg totally betrayed the voters who trusted him and his party and David Cameron badly misled the voters as to his plans for the NHS.
Those 2 things alone make the decision for me, give the new leader a chance now and that is Ed Miliband,not the other 2 deceitful opportunists who have had their go and failed miserably overall too.

[Kizzy]

That is the truth joey, and it's that truth that the Mail have a particular problem with it seems...
Nobody with any integrity takes it seriously anymore and as joey said the story published about Ed Millibands father exposed it for the politically biased morally corrupt rag it is.
Ridiculous headlines pertaining to 'red ed' are going to do nothing to aid their tattered reputation.
It's well documented that figures are massaged so much now that they are nothing short of a fabrication, jackanory would have been jealous of the lies told by ministers.

[joeysteele]

That is the truth joey, and it's that truth that the Mail have a particular problem with it seems...
Nobody with any integrity takes it seriously anymore and as joey said the story published about Ed Millibands father exposed it for the politically biased morally corrupt rag it is.
Ridiculous headlines pertaining to 'red ed' are going to do nothing to aid their tattered reputation.
It's well documented that figures are massaged so much now that they are nothing short of a fabrication, jackanory would have been jealous of the lies told by ministers.

True words said by Benjamin Disraeli Kizzy, ''there are 3 types of lies, lies,damned lies and statistics''.

[Kizzy]

:joker: now that's the truth joey! ;)

[Livia]

True words said by Benjamin Disraeli Kizzy, ''there are 3 types of lies, lies,damned lies and statistics''.

Well joey, one of the biggest liars of the last couple of decades was a Labour leader. Lest we forget...

[Kizzy]

Yep and Thatcher was mary poppins I suppose... :joker: anyhoo, let's not forget this was just an off the cuff comment that was spun into the most ridiculous quote ever....
'Political freak' dear me...
http://cloudedyellow.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/thatchers-child-550.jpg

[joeysteele]

Well joey, one of the biggest liars of the last couple of decades was a Labour leader. Lest we forget...

Hello Livia,
No disagreement there at all and I have said that many times myself.

Although I do quantify and qualify it by saying lies or not,(which I believe he did lie), no matter who was in power the then UK govt. would still have totally supported the Republican President Bush and gone to war in Iraq with the same result and the now ongoing chaos there is there again now too.

Yes however, the short answer is you are right and I agree absolutely.

[Livia]

Hello Livia,
No disagreement there at all and I have said that many times myself.

Although I do quantify and qualify it by saying lies or not,(which I believe he did lie), no matter who was in power the then UK govt. would still have totally supported the Republican President Bush and gone to war in Iraq with the same result and the now ongoing chaos there is there again now too.

Yes however, the short answer is you are right and I agree absolutely.

Well, we'll never know what would have happened had the Tories been in charge. Would they have "sexed up" the dossier? Maybe... Would they have taken us to war on a lie? Maybe... but the fact is that this is about Labour, who seem to some to be totally Teflon, innocent of every ill, indeed, the saviours of the country if only it wasn't for the nasty Tories. The fact is, as you know, that there are some great MPs from all parties... but the parties themselves leave a lot to be desired.

[Toy Soldier]

The Iraq War was forged by political forces far beyond the governments of any country. It was happening, full stop. I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means and I don't particularly subscribe to any of the popular theories that do float around about it but one thing is absolutely crystal clear, if you really take an objective look. The whole cluster**** from (the conception of) 9/11 onwards was WAY over the heads of Blair, Bush or any other political "leader".

[Livia]

I don't agree Toy Soldier. It's an interesting opinion though...

[Alf]

The Conservatives are desperate Miliband remaind Labour leader. He's one of the their greatest weapons for 2015, and Labour supporters insisting Miliband is the rightr man for the job are doing a great service to Conservatives everywhere.
I don't think he will be the leader at the GE, I believe they're ace card is gonna be having a black leader.

[Toy Soldier]

On the thread topic anyway... I genuinely think that Milliband would be far more respected, and Labour far more favoured in the polls, if he wasn't so weird looking. Someone with exactly the same policies, saying exactly the same things... but with a frat-boy face and a ****-eating grin... would be in a far more unstoppable position right now.

And that's sort of awful, if you think about it. But inevitable when you put the power of democracy into the hands of the average joe in a superficial era where appearances count for almost everything.

[Livia]

I don't think he will be the leader at the GE, I believe they're ace card is gonna be having a black leader.

Now that would be an interesting turn of events...

On the thread topic anyway... I genuinely think that Milliband would be far more respected, and Labour far more favoured in the polls, if he wasn't so weird looking. Someone with exactly the same policies, saying exactly the same things... but with a frat-boy face and a ****-eating grin... would be in a far more unstoppable position right now.

And that's sort of awful, if you think about it. But inevitable when you put the power of democracy into the hands of the average joe in a superficial era where appearances count for almost everything.

I agree somewhat, but what I hear from some people - older people mostly, interestingly - is they wouldn't trust someone who shafted their own brother for the job. David Miliband is also quite a strange-looking bloke, but I think he has far more charisma than his brother.

[joeysteele]

I don't think he will be the leader at the GE, I believe they're ace card is gonna be having a black leader.

Ed Miliband will lead Labour into the next election but if by some unfortunate backward miracle the Conservatives got any sort of overall majority then a change of leader would be quick I think.

I also think that Chukka Ummunah would likely get the leadership then and for me he would have been a far better leader now in fact.
Just as until this week, but I still think he would be a better leader for the Conservatives too,namely Michael Gove.

[joeysteele]

Well, we'll never know what would have happened had the Tories been in charge. Would they have "sexed up" the dossier? Maybe... Would they have taken us to war on a lie? Maybe... but the fact is that this is about Labour, who seem to some to be totally Teflon, innocent of every ill, indeed, the saviours of the country if only it wasn't for the nasty Tories. The fact is, as you know, that there are some great MPs from all parties... but the parties themselves leave a lot to be desired.

That is true and we don't know really what others may have done to win the vote however in fairness Ed Miliband wasn't even an MP when the vote to go into Iraq was taken.

The last bit I have put in bold of your post really says everything about modern politics,I agree 100% with that.
I find it really sad that those voices are more often than not the least heard ones.

[arista]

Up North they want Ed out
and replaced

As he posed with the free Sun


http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/jun/13/edmiliband-sun

[joeysteele]

Up North they want Ed out
and replaced

As he posed with the free Sun


http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/jun/13/edmiliband-sun

I question his choice of reading but what a non event of a story,I think the SUN is totally vile and I also understand the disappointment from those on merseyside, they are absolutely 100% right in their view of the Sun.
However that doesn't mean everyone else should never ever look at the Sun.

I would never buy it however and neither with this edition anyway did Ed Miliband either.

Good heavens, the Sun was likely Tony Blair's favourite read, after all it supported him, not Labour really, just him, for all the time he was leader of Labour.
That was more eveidence of the rubbish that the SUN is,in my opinion.

Now, however the reaction to this is unnecessary and this is called news. Lord help us all then.

[arista]

I question his choice of reading but what a non event of a story,I think the SUN is totally vile and I also understand the disappointment from those on merseyside, they are absolutely 100% right in their view of the Sun.
However that doesn't mean everyone else should never ever look at the Sun.

I would never buy it however and neither with this edition anyway did Ed Miliband either.

Good heavens, the Sun was likely Tony Blair's favourite read, after all it supported him, not Labour really, just him, for all the time he was leader of Labour.
That was more eveidence of the rubbish that the SUN is,in my opinion.

Now, however the reaction to this is unnecessary and this is called news. Lord help us all then.


The Other 2 Leaders posed with the Free Sun
so Dumb Ed follows.


He never thinks first?

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/6/13/316265/default/v5/miliband-with-the-sun-1-522x293.jpg

[joeysteele]

The Other 2 Leaders posed with the Free Sun
so Dumb Ed follows.


He never thinks first?

He is dumb for posing with the Sun yet the other 2 aren't.Should Cameron and Clegg not be equally foolish since the Sun was shown to have lied and caused totally unnecessary slander and distress to the families of the victims of Hillsborough.
Only Ed Miliband should have shown contempt for that not them,That is unbelievable.

Had he not posed with it,in the spriit of the world cup.
Then we would likely have heard that the other party leaders got into the spirit of the thing with the free Sun paper but Ed Miliband wouldn't play ball and that was being pathetic by him.
I despair at the petty criticism of him at times, you couldn't make it up.

[Kizzy]

No you really couldn't, and to be fair it's the conservatives and the sun that colluded in the lies surrounding the events at hillsborough, so it's more of a middle finger the coalition leader posing with it in my view.

[arista]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/6/19/1403215085022/comment-cartoon-Steve-Bel-011.jpg


Steve Bell The great Cartoonist
sums up Ed M.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cartoon/2014/jun/19/steve-bell-on-ed-miliband-ippr

[Livia]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/6/19/1403215085022/comment-cartoon-Steve-Bel-011.jpg


Steve Bell The great Cartoonist
sums up Ed M.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cartoon/2014/jun/19/steve-bell-on-ed-miliband-ippr

No thread about Labour promising to cut the benefits of young people, arista? I'm surprised.

[arista]

No thread about Labour promising to cut the benefits of young people, arista? I'm surprised.



Its so complex
I can not see it working



but fair point

[arista]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/6/21/1403371170784/Neil-Kinnock-Ed-Miliband-011.jpg
No Ed he is bad luck

[Kizzy]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/6/21/1403371170784/Neil-Kinnock-Ed-Miliband-011.jpg
No Ed he is bad luck

No he isn't..There's no such thing as luck in politics is there?
You either get backed or you don't.

[Kizzy]

Its so complex
I can not see it working



but fair point

I started one..... To be fair.

[joeysteele]

To be fair, when Neil Kinnock took over he had a massive mountain to climb, Labour were not only just battling to do anything as to what was ssen as a 'competent' govt but they also had to regain massive lost ground due to the SDP/Liberal alliance in the election of 1987.

Neil Kinnock made some good reforms and did in fact secure Labour's position as the main opposition clearly again and saw off the SDP/Liberal alliance threat.
By the time we got to the 1992 election,it seemed Neil Kinnock had lost his way and with the media then able to character assassinate people,the Sun and Daily Mail particularly it seems went to town on him and even more nastily his wife Glenys too.

However Neil Kinnock lay down much of the foundation that helped John Smith get well ahead of the Conservatives and then after his time was cruelly cut short,for Tony Blair too.
So I would say from all I have studied and read of that time that Neil Kinnock actually saved the Labour party from slipping even further into the mire.

Attack Ed Miliband all people may like to, he does have Labour ahead and in very different circumstances.
I think Ed likely respects the reforms Neil Kinnock started when he was leader and at least he is not afraid to be seen with those who didn't achieve the success hoped for by them.

The late 80s and early 90s were very different from where we are now and unpopular leaders can and do win elections against govts, Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and Edward Heath against all odds in 1970.

Also,interestingly, there hasn't been a leader of any party since the war who'didn't' have an 'English' seat who went on to win an election.
Alec Douglas-Home lost in 1964,Michael Foot lost in 1983, Neil Kinnock lost in 1987 and 1992, then Gordon Brown lost in 2010.
Therein may lie, in part, another factor as to getting elected.

[Kizzy]

great synopsis joey, it's important to notice that from the 80s the conservatives have relied more and more heavily on media bias to sway the electorate rather than policy.

[arista]

I started one..... To be fair.


yes well done Kizzy

[joeysteele]

great synopsis joey, it's important to notice that from the 80s the conservatives have relied more and more heavily on media bias to sway the electorate rather than policy.

Thankfully,the media,in particular the newspapers now seem to have little influence over voters.

[Kizzy]

Thankfully,the media,in particular the newspapers now seem to have little influence over voters.

I disagree here, I think the influence people massively...not always with what they report but what they don't.
There were 50'000 people stood outside the BBC yesterday, the media blackout of anti government rallies such as this key to how public perception and confidence can and is being manipulated.
It is their duty to remain impartial, by cherry picking which news stories are broadcast or reported especially one of this scale and importance could be very dangerous... imagine if boris had got his cannon out, who would be there to prove extreme measures were warranted ..or not?

[arista]

I disagree here, I think the influence people massively...not always with what they report but what they don't.
There were 50'000 people stood outside the BBC yesterday, the media blackout of anti government rallies such as this key to how public perception and confidence can and is being manipulated.
It is their duty to remain impartial, by cherry picking which news stories are broadcast or reported especially one of this scale and importance could be very dangerous... imagine if boris had got his cannon out, who would be there to prove extreme measures were warranted ..or not?



Yes We Pay for their Corrupt Reporting

[Kizzy]

Yes We Pay for their Corrupt Reporting

I don't ;)

[Kizzy]

''They talk about the education of their children, they talk about whether they are going to get jobs, they talk to me about some of the continuing tragic serious youth violence we see in my constituency. That is why I say we mustn't belittle politics. This is about people's lives. It is not about soap opera."

Umunna dismissed criticism that Miliband lacks the ability to connect with Britain's celebrity culture. He said: "That belittles our politics. We are not playing some game of Celebrity Big Brother. We are talking about big issues that affect all of our different communities."

Bang on right! :hehe:

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/22/criticism-ed-miliband-pointless-soap-opera-chuka-umunna-labour