The Mirror backs ‘The Special One’
David Blackburn 12:00pm
The ballot has opened and the Mirror has joined the mounting chorus in favour of David Miliband. They say of Miliband:
‘We believe he has the intellect, talent and experience to take on the Tories - and eventually become PM.’
Their timing is odd, given that Fleet Street and Westminster are currently captivated by Tony Blair’s memoir. But it is also a neat coincidence that Blair’s journey ends on the day that his apparent heir’s begins. As Tim Montgomerie notes in today’s Times (£), the Tories fear David Miliband because he is the only Labour leadership candidate who asks: ‘What would Tony do?’
It goes deeper than that. Tony Blair was more tolerated than loved by the party he returned to power, and as Ed Howker surmises the feeling was mutual. In contrast, Miliband has built a plural coalition within the Labour party. He has James Purnell on the right and Jon Cruddas on the left and 11 shadow cabinet members behind him. It is not inconceivable that Miliband can extend his pluralism to subsume the huddled middle classes as Blair once did. It depends if Blair is correct when he writes:
‘Two years later he (Miliband) would be a different calibre of politician, with clear leadership qualities; back then, in 2007, he was hesitant and I felt fundamentally uncertain as to whether he wanted it.’
Miliband certainly wants it. As for the rest, I’m not so sure.
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Cuffleyburgers
September 1st, 2010 12:13pm Report this commentI think the huddled middle classes will take one look at Man With A Banana and laugh him out of town, then they will see Balls as shadow chancellor and they will set their dogs on him
Rhoda Klapp
September 1st, 2010 12:23pm Report this commentSpecial needs?
denis cooper
September 1st, 2010 12:27pm Report this commentThe Tories fear David Miliband?
Maybe that's the story they're putting round, but I find it hard to believe.
Touch of Brer Rabbit here, maybe:
"Oh please Brer Fox, whatever you do, please don't throw me into the briar patch."
Stepney
September 1st, 2010 12:32pm Report this commentHe wants it now but didn't want it enough when the opportunity was right and the will of the movement was with him. Time and time again he had the chance to take the reins and could have enjoyed a massive electoral bounce had he stuck his head above the parapet. Yet, time and time again he hid behind the curtains shivering like a jelly.
Given his strategic cowardice what on earth have the Tories got to fear?
Thank the Lord he was never a platoon leader - can you imagine the risks you would have had to take to keep him safe?
michael
September 1st, 2010 1:01pm Report this commentThe Mirror's special friend.
Like all good pets...obedient cheap and easy to keep.
ollie
September 1st, 2010 1:38pm Report this commentAnother day goes by, another plug for David Miliband.
Mike
September 1st, 2010 1:43pm Report this commentIf he didn't have the courage to stand up to Brown, a man he knew would be a disasterous PM, what would make the public think he will have the courage to be a good PM?
Milli D's fingerprints are all over the dirty history of Labour in office..Iraq, complicity in torture, trampling over civil liberties, ID cards (which he still evidently supports), economic lunacy etc.
Milli D will be Hague in '97
Olaf Rye
September 1st, 2010 2:20pm Report this commentThe 'Mirror' would endorse any leftist that is remotely electable. Why is their stupidity getting any publicity ? Has David Milliband ever had a job outside of government and student politics ? His tenure as foreign secretary was distinguished by lots of stupid looks, diplomatic trips, but no substantive contribution to serious matters. What a worthless little apparatchnik ... his communist family would be proud of him.
Fex Urbis
September 1st, 2010 2:42pm Report this commentHow much longer are we going to have to put up with this tedium?
Tarka the Rotter
September 1st, 2010 4:21pm Report this commentMmmmmm do you think it was Milipede's skills at brandishing the banana that confirmed him as one of Peter's Friends? I only ask...
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