Ed Miliband has clearly decided that a lectern is the way to help voters imagine him as a Prime Minister, and the Tories have clearly decided that it’s something worth mocking.
Here, in case you ever need it, is a graph setting out how often Miliband has used a lectern, and how often David Cameron has.
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It certainly seems a bit odd that the Labour leader needed a lectern in a back garden, or indeed a field, though the official line is that the only reason he has it is that he needs something to hold his notes. However, the party has been trying to play catch up on the question of who would make the best Prime Minister, which Miliband does not do well on.
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The party has also adopted the rather bold strategy of putting Miliband at the centre of a new ‘portrait’ party election broadcast, released this evening. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the film plays the sort of music you’d expect in an emotional charity appeal, while featuring clips of Miliband talking about being ready to be Prime Minister, and his background. Given the Labour strategy of putting him out there and surprising voters with how different he is to the bumbling buffoon many believe he is appears to be paying off already, this PEB isn’t as risky as it might have seemed six months ago.
But the risk with the lectern is that Miliband looks a bit weird and fake, and slightly as though he can’t quite survive without it.
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