The Miliband Dilemma

Wednesday, 11th November 2009

Brother Blackburn's suggestion that David Miliband risks, perhaps, being something of a Labour version of William Hague should he succeed Gordon Brown. And Danny Finkelstein's column arguing that Miliband should change his mind and put himself forward for the post of EU High Representative is, in many, many ways, compellingly persuasive.

But if Miliband were to go to Brussels he might find himself all alone. His enemies in the Labour Party are unlikely to look kindly on Miliband serving a term as High Representative before returning to Britain, finding safe seat, and strolling into Westminster to become the next-but-one leader of the Labour Party. Meanwhile, he might find that he has fewer friends and supporters than once he did as some may not forgive him for - in their eyes - deserting the party when it needed him most.

So Miliband finds himself in a tricky position in which Man and Moment are ill-matched. This rarely ends well. My suspicion is that some of Miliband's friends have pointed out that if he goes to Brussels then the next Labour leader is likely to be... Ed Balls.

If, and I think it may be, that's the case then one can see why, despite the persuasive arguments Danny Fink makes, Miliband might feel compelled to stay even if, rationally, it might not be in his own best interests to do so. He might be the right leader at the wrong time, but that could be less important that stopping Balls taking command of the party.

Filed under: David Miliband (212 more articles) , Labour (2014 more articles)

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Grassmarket

November 11th, 2009 2:24pm Report this comment

And of course the interests of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland enter not at whit into your calculations or his.

ndm

November 11th, 2009 6:40pm Report this comment

I've long thought that senior Conservatives betrayed their party - not that it did them any good - by not fighting hard enough to give the party mature leadership after the departure of John Major. Had they done so the party might not have been out in the wilderness for so long.

Jeny Jennings

November 11th, 2009 7:40pm Report this comment

High Representative for the EU or future Labour leader? Miliband should think twice before rejecting the first option, otherwise he may end up having none.

He may be liked by the Blairite faction of the Labour Party, but, at least in the near future, the voters will never elect him as PM. (He needs more time to mature)

Patricia Shaw

November 12th, 2009 10:13am Report this comment

What's really worrying about Milliband is his 150% backing for Turkey's EU bid, deespite its human rights, the Cyprus situation, provocation against Greece in the Aegean and the overhelming army of ignorant peasants who would flood our labour markets.

ndm

November 12th, 2009 5:37pm Report this comment

Given that Turkish accession is unlikely to happen until 2020 I think that gives a fair amount of time to deal with its human-rights situation, Cyprus and Greece. The part about ignorant peasants speaks for itself.

However, Turkish accession to the European Union would go a long way towards demonstrating that the Western World is not innately hostile to the Muslim World. And, yes, Turkish accession will be a difficult process which is why it is a long process - encompassing more time than both World Wars put together and they were really difficult.

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