Miliband the eurosceptic? Not yet
Peter Hoskin 11:11am
Ed Miliband is not naturally a eurospectic, but he certainly sounded like one during his appearance on ITV's Daybreak show earlier. ‘I'm very concerned about what David
Cameron has done,’ he said in reference to the PM's equivocation over
Europe yesterday. ‘He's sold us down the river.’
Whether this is Miliband committing towards the sort of euroscepticism that is being urged on him by some of his colleagues, it's too early to say. It's only words, after all. But my guess is that — just as when Miliband attacked Cameron for not signing up to the latest treaty, but couldn't say whether he'd have signed it himself — this is more him trying to have his cake and eat it. Already, this morning, Team Miliband are denying that their man was ‘playing the sceptic card’.
But if Miliband did want to play the sceptic card, how might he do so? There's opposing an increase in our IMF contributions, of course, on the grounds that the money would merely flush towards the eurozone — something that Ed Balls is already threatening. And then, just maybe, he could join Tory backbenchers in calling for a referendum on the EU (as the Lib Dems did not too long ago). Indeed, one of his MPs did just that yesterday.
Perhaps we shall find out more about Miliband's position when Cameron speaks to the House about his adventures in Brussels, later today, at 1530.
Previous
Number7
January 31st, 2012 11:31am Report this commentThe words "Brass Neck" spring to mind.
General Zod
January 31st, 2012 11:35am Report this commentHe's an unprincipled, opportunist arse, incapable of following a consistent line.
He'll be back to attacking Cameron for isolating us in Europe soon enough.
Simon Stephenson.
January 31st, 2012 11:44am Report this comment"Perhaps we shall find out more about Miliband's position when Cameron speaks to the House about his adventures in Brussels, later today, at 1530."
Do you really think so?
Miliband's policy is nothing more than unprincipled bandwagon-jumping. His "position" is to make the carefully scripted noises that will identify him with the populist side of any wave of discontent - no matter how transitorily he may need to hold this position, no matter how illogical, impracticable, or counter-productive it may be, no matter how inconsistent it may be with other stated parts of his Party's policy, no matter how hypocritical it is compared to Labour's policies when in government, and, most importantly, no matter how far away these "policy" noises are from what Labour would actually be predisposed to do if they were in the position of having to make the decisions.
It's just PR bullshit, that's all, and for the purposes of assessing what would be Labour's actual attitudes and intentions, it should be totally disregarded.
Douglas Carter
January 31st, 2012 11:45am Report this commentIf Cameron can go onto a public forum and bare-facedly claim to be a Eurosceptic, why can't Miliband?
Fish
January 31st, 2012 11:53am Report this commentHopefully we'll know by 3.30 which bandwagon he's decided to climb aboard.
The quality of our political class gets ever lower. God help us all if he ever becomes PM. Time to leave the country.
Rhoda Klapp
January 31st, 2012 11:55am Report this commentEurophile in government, eurosceptic in opposition. Just like the tories. Given how ineffective he is, and given that he cannot pursue the arguments too far in case he stumbles across reality, we won't be hearing much of this. Cameron will see it coming and be well prepared at the PMQ show.
Publius
January 31st, 2012 12:00pm Report this comment"Team Miliband"
--Dear God! What an image that conjures up.
"but he certainly sounded like one"
-- No, he sounded like an incompetent wonky opportunist.
It would be nice if we could have some grown-ups as politicians, rather than these callow youths.
Axstane
January 31st, 2012 12:02pm Report this commentIt was in the manifestos of both Labour and the LibDems that a referendum be called on any treaty change. When the debate arose Labour whipped aginst it and the LibDems abstained so only the Tory minority supported the call.
For Miliband to dare to say anything about Europe is an absurdity since we know full well that if he had absolute power over the UK we would be fully signed up to every EU institution and their flim-flam currency tomorrow.
Holly ......
January 31st, 2012 12:19pm Report this commentTrying to have his cake & eat it eh??
Well done.
Swiss Bob
January 31st, 2012 12:25pm Report this commentWhy you let these morons set the agenda. . .
One would have thought that examining how Miliband's pathetic opportunism over a contract he helped craft has cost RBS half a billion on their share price?
No, let's have some more puffery for the buffoon.
ollie
January 31st, 2012 12:28pm Report this commentThe Worm's attack on the City is already starting to backfire -
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/miliband-denies-banker-witch-hunt-092513920.html
The public are not fools - they know what Miliband is - a soaking wet little worm.
Sir Everard Digby
January 31st, 2012 12:33pm Report this commentMilliwit continues to surprise me-every day he plumbs new depths. Yesterday screwing up RBS' share value; today he discovers the concept of being sold down the river.....13 years after the rest of us.Perhaps his look of distaste is that of a Europhile lying about his beloved uber state?
The rats really have taken over Toad Hall have they not?
michael
January 31st, 2012 12:33pm Report this commentHe's setting himself for PMQ's. It's up to the PM to highlight the hypocrisy.
Austin Barry
January 31st, 2012 12:45pm Report this commentJust detectable in that photo is the contempt that Ed holds for the rest of us.
Lonesome Dave
January 31st, 2012 1:06pm Report this commentRE: Austin Barry 12:45pm
Just detectable in that photo is the contempt that Ed holds for the rest of us.
...and vice versa Austin.
Halcyondaze
January 31st, 2012 1:20pm Report this commentSaw him on the news this morning and he just looks like something dreamed up by Aardman Animations. The hypocrisy is mind-blowing. Horrible little twonk.
David Smart
January 31st, 2012 2:05pm Report this commentIt seems that Milliband has stumbled his way into a policy of setting up a position of giving a statement of intent,no matter what the subject is.
He makes an appearence on TV stating that the Labour Party if they were in power would do this or that,then makes it into a de facto state of affairs as if what he has said is an accepted and inviolate position of received wisdom,he then challenges Cameron to accept said position while making it plain that if he doesn't this would fly in the face of what "most ordinary people would think acceptable"
He tried this with the Bonus debate with egregious delight as if he undestood the first thing about the complexities of how to return RBS to good standing,he reminds me of an eager sixth former trying too hard,showing off in front of his girlfriend.
Can we please have some adult politicians.
Boudicca
January 31st, 2012 2:07pm Report this commentWho cares what Deadwood says about the EU - he has even less credibility than Cameron on this issue. Labour broke a Manifesto Committment to sign the Lisbon Treaty without a Referendum. No-one should believe a word Miliband ever says about the EU.
There is no difference between LibLabCON - all 3 parties are determined to keep us in the EU against our will. Only UKIP will get us out.
Holly ......
January 31st, 2012 2:54pm Report this commentI reckon even if 90% of the public hated Cameron, he'd STILL get more votes at the ballot box.
Wily Trout
January 31st, 2012 2:59pm Report this commentHas anyone,anywhere,come across anybody who doesn't think this guy is an utter little shit? I haven't.
WIlliam Blakes Ghost
January 31st, 2012 3:40pm Report this commentMiliband the lying hypocrite is truly a Son Of Brown!
Simon Stephenson.
January 31st, 2012 6:56pm Report this commentWily Trout : 2.59pm
"Has anyone,anywhere,come across anybody who doesn't think this guy is an utter little shit? I haven't."
Nick Cohen (*), apparently. But maybe he's just so desperate for there actually to be a talismanic super-hero of the Left that he's been psychologically forced into the self-delusion that Miliband is the one - particularly bearing in mind that there's little possibility of any replacement for the foreseeable future.
*
http://www.spectator.co.uk/nickcohen/7614938/ed-miliband-britains-greatest-leader-of-the-opposition.thtml
Simon Stephenson.
January 31st, 2012 9:56pm Report this commentBoudicca : 2.07pm
"No-one should believe a word Miliband ever says about the EU."
If your brain's in the right place, you shouldn't believe a word Miliband ever says about anything. And perhaps the same should apply to Cameron and Clegg, too.
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