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|deputy1 = [[Harriet Harman]] |
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|successor5 = Phil Hope |
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|office7 = Member of Parliament |
|office7 = Member of Parliament<br>for [[Doncaster North]] |
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'''Edward Samuel Miliband''' (born 24 December 1969) is a British politician who was Leader of the Labour Party as well as [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]] between 2010 and 2015. He became the [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Doncaster North (UK Parliament constituency)|Doncaster North]] [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|in 2005]], being re-elected in 2010, 2015, [[United Kingdom general election, 2017|and 2017]], and served in [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|the Cabinet]] from 2007-10 under [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Gordon Brown]]. |
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'''Edward Samuel Miliband''' (born 24 December 1969) was Leader of the Labour Party as well as Leader of the Opposition between 2010 and 2015. He became the Member of Parliament (MP) for [[Doncaster North]] in 2005, being re-elected in 2010, 2015, and 2017], and served in the Cabinet from 2007-10 under Gordon Brown. |
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Miliband was born in the [[Fitzrovia]] district of Central London to Polish Jewish immigrants, Marion Kozak, and [[Ralph Miliband]] (died 1994); a Marxist intellectual who was a native of Brussels and fled Belgium during World War II. He graduated from [[Corpus Christi College, Oxford]] and later from the [[London School of Economics]]. Miliband became first a television journalist, then a Labour Party [[Senior researcher|researcher]] and a visiting scholar at [[Harvard University]], before rising to become one of [[Chancellor of the Exchequer|Chancellor]] Gordon Brown's confidants and Chairman of [[HM Treasury]]'s Council of Economic Advisers. |
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Miliband was elected to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] in 2005. [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] made Miliband [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State|Parliamentary Secretary]] to the [[Cabinet Office]] in May 2006. When [[Gordon Brown]] became [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] in 2007, he appointed Miliband [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]] and [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]]. Miliband was subsequently promoted to the new post of [[Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change]], a position he held from 2008-10. |
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After the Labour Party was defeated at the [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|2010 general election]], Brown resigned as [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party]]; in September 2010, Miliband was [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010|elected to replace him]]. His tenure as Labour leader was characterised by a [[left-wing politics|leftward]] shift in his party's policies, and by opposition to the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government]]'s cuts to the [[public sector]]. He led his party into several elections, including the [[European Parliament election, 2014 (United Kingdom)|2014 European Parliament election]]. Following Labour's defeat by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] at the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015 general election]], Miliband announced his resignation as leader on 8 May 2015. He was succeeded in the ensuing leadership election by [[Jeremy Corbyn]]. |
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==Early life and education== |
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Born in [[University College Hospital]] in [[Fitzrovia]], [[London]], Miliband is the younger son of immigrant parents.<ref name=anewgeneration>{{cite web |date=7 November 2010 |url=http://www.labour.org.uk/a-new-generation |title=A New Generation |publisher=[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] |accessdate=7 October 2013 |archivedate=1 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001135352/http://www.labour.org.uk/a-new-generation |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://professionalmanager.co.uk/news/5527/ed-miliband-sets-out-his-leadership-vision-in-keynote-labour-conference-speech/|title=Ed Miliband sets out his leadership vision in keynote Labour conference speech|work=professionalmanager.co.uk|accessdate=28 April 2015|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517002336/http://professionalmanager.co.uk/news/5527/ed-miliband-sets-out-his-leadership-vision-in-keynote-labour-conference-speech/|archivedate=17 May 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> His mother, [[Marion Kozak]], a human rights campaigner and early [[CND]] member, is a [[History of the Jews in Poland|Polish Jew]] who survived [[the Holocaust]] thanks to being [[Rescue of Jews by Poles during the Holocaust|protected]] by Catholic Poles.<ref name=tch>{{cite news|last=Tchorek|first=Kamil |title=David Miliband visits family grave in Poland|date=24 June 2009|accessdate=20 May 2013|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article1943608.ece|newspaper=[[The Times]]|location= London|subscription=yes}}</ref> His father, [[Ralph Miliband]], was a Belgian-born Polish Jewish [[Marxism|Marxist academic]] whose father fled with him to England during [[World War II]].<ref name="Ed Miliband leader speech">{{cite news|work=[[BBC News]] |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11426411 |title=Ed Miliband: Labour leader's 2010 conference speech in full |date=28 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930074509/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11426411 |archivedate=30 September 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/feb/28/schools.labour |last=Beckett |first=Andy |title=In the house of the rising sons |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=28 February 2004 |archivedate=2 February 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202130017/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2004/feb/28/schools.labour |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> The family lived on Edis Street in [[Primrose Hill]], London. His elder brother, [[David Miliband]], still owns the house today.<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Michael Crick]] |date=23 September 2010 |title=What influence did Ralph Miliband have on his sons |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/9024954.stm |publisher=''[[Newsnight]]'' |work=[[BBC]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925175304/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/9024954.stm |archivedate=25 September 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Ralph Miliband left his academic post at the [[London School of Economics]] in 1972 to take up a chair at the [[University of Leeds]] as a Professor of Politics. His family moved to Leeds with him in 1973; Miliband attended Featherbank Infant School in [[Horsforth]] between 1974 and 1977, during which time he became a fan of [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/politics/once-a-featherbanker-ed-miliband-returns-to-the-horsforth-school-that-fostered-his-love-of-leeds-united-1-3874753 |title='Once a Featherbanker...' Ed Miliband returns to the Horsforth school that fostered his love of Leeds United |newspaper=[[The Yorkshire Post]] |location=[[Leeds]] |date=14 October 2011 |accessdate=27 June 2012 |archivedate=30 October 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030224714/http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/politics/once-a-featherbanker-ed-miliband-returns-to-the-horsforth-school-that-fostered-his-love-of-leeds-united-1-3874753 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Owing to his father's later employment as a roving teacher, Miliband spent two spells living in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], one year when he was seven and one [[middle school]] term when he was twelve.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/07/21/the-ed-miliband-interview |title=The Ed Miliband interview |publisher=Labour Uncut blog |date=21 July 2010 |accessdate=30 August 2011 |archivedate=24 July 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724164654/http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/07/21/the-ed-miliband-interview |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Miliband remembered his time in the US as one of his happiest, during which he became a fan of American culture, watching ''[[Dallas (1978 TV series)|Dallas]]''<ref name=anewgeneration/> and following the [[Boston Red Sox]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Ed Miliband Interview (July 21st 2010)|url=http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/07/21/the-ed-miliband-interview/|website=Labour Uncut|accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref> and the [[New England Patriots]].<ref>{{cite web|title=United Nation (January 1st 2013)|url=https://www.politicshome.com/party-politics/articles/house/united-nation|website=Politics Home|accessdate=1 April 2015}}</ref> |
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Between 1978 and 1981, Ed Miliband attended Primrose Hill Primary School, near [[Primrose Hill]], in [[London Borough of Camden|Camden]] and then from 1981 to 1989, [[Haverstock School|Haverstock Comprehensive School]] in [[Chalk Farm]]. He learned to play the violin while at school,<ref name=education/> and as a teenager, he reviewed films and plays on [[LBC|LBC Radio]]'s ''Young London'' programme as one of its fortnightly "Three O'Clock Reviewers". After completing his [[GCE Ordinary Level (United Kingdom)|O-levels]], he worked as an intern to family friend [[Tony Benn]], the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for [[Chesterfield (UK Parliament constituency)|Chesterfield]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Benn|first=Tony|title= The Benn Diaries|location=London|publisher=Arrow|year=1995|isbn=978-0-09-963411-9}}</ref> |
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In 1989, Miliband gained four [[GCE Advanced Level (United Kingdom)|A Levels]]—in Mathematics (A), English (A), Further Mathematics (B) and Physics (B)—and then read [[Philosophy, Politics and Economics]] at [[Corpus Christi College, Oxford]]. In his first year, he was elected [[Common Room (university)#Oxford|JCR President]], leading a student campaign against a rise in rent charges. In his second year he dropped philosophy, and was awarded an [[Upper second-class honours|upper second class]] [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree. He went on to graduate from the London School of Economics with a [[Master of Science]] in Economics.<ref name=education/> |
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==Early political career== |
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===Special Adviser=== |
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In 1992, after graduating from the University of Oxford, Miliband began his working career in the media as a [[Senior researcher|researcher]] to co-presenter [[Andrew Rawnsley]] in the [[Channel 4]] show ''A Week in Politics''.<ref>{{cite news|date=29 September 2012 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/29/ed-miliband-labour-andrew-rawnsley |title=Ed Miliband's big test is to make voters see him as prime minister |publisher=The Guardian |work=The Observer |location=London |accessdate=2 October 2012 |last=Rawnsley |first=Andrew |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001002103/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/29/ed-miliband-labour-andrew-rawnsley |archivedate=1 October 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In 1993, [[Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] [[Harriet Harman]] approached Rawnsley to recruit Miliband as her policy researcher and speechwriter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/167872/in-conversation-with-harriet-harman.thtml |title=In conversation with... Harriet Harman |publisher=Total Politics |accessdate=2 October 2012 |archivedate=16 June 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616010156/http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/167872/in-conversation-with-harriet-harman.thtml |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref> At the time, [[Yvette Cooper]] also worked for Harman as part of Labour's Shadow Treasury team. |
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In 1994, when Harriet Harman was moved by the [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1994|newly elected]] [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Labour Leader]] [[Tony Blair]] to become [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Shadow Secretary of State for Employment]], Miliband stayed on in the Shadow Treasury team and was promoted to work for [[Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer|Shadow Chancellor]] [[Gordon Brown]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/jun/09/who-are-the-labour-leadership-candidates |title=Who are the Labour leadership candidates? |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=9 June 2010 |accessdate=5 October 2012 |last=Mulholland |first=Hélène |archivedate=2 October 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002143336/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/jun/09/who-are-the-labour-leadership-candidates |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In 1995, with encouragement from Gordon Brown, Miliband took time out from his job to study at the London School of Economics, where he obtained a Masters in Economics.<ref name=education>{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e9c342ac-c954-11df-b3d6-00144feab49a.html |title=Miliband declares New Labour dead |last=Barker |first=Alex |work=Financial Times |date=26 September 2010 |accessdate=18 October 2010 |location=London |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201210441/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e9c342ac-c954-11df-b3d6-00144feab49a.html |archivedate=1 December 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> After Labour's [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997]] landslide victory, Miliband was appointed as a special adviser to Chancellor Gordon Brown from 1997 to 2002.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=10 September 2011 |url=http://www.nhsconfed.org/priorities/latestnews/Pages/Rt-Hon-Ed-Miliband-MP-elected-Labour-leader.aspx |title=Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP elected Labour leader |publisher=NHS Confederation |date=27 September 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724232304/http://www.nhsconfed.org/priorities/latestnews/Pages/Rt-Hon-Ed-Miliband-MP-elected-Labour-leader.aspx |archivedate=24 July 2013 }}</ref> |
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===Harvard=== |
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On 25 July 2002, it was announced that Miliband would take a 12-month unpaid [[sabbatical]] from HM Treasury to be a [[visiting scholar]] at the Center for European Studies of [[Harvard University]] for two [[Academic term|semester]]s.<ref name="Harvard leave">Nelson, Fraser (26 July 2002). "Brown confirms adviser's sojourn in Harvard". ''The Scotsman'' (Edinburgh). p. 9.</ref> He spent his time at Harvard teaching economics,<ref name="EdsFTProfile">{{cite news |date=25 September 2010 |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d9dca9da-c893-11df-8343-00144feab49a,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fd9dca9da-c893-11df-8343-00144feab49a.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fhome%2Fuk |location=London |title=Profile: Ed Miliband |work=[[Financial Times]] |last=Pickard |first=Jim |accessdate=28 September 2010 |archivedate=26 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926045044/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d9dca9da-c893-11df-8343-00144feab49a%2CAuthorised%3Dfalse.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fd9dca9da-c893-11df-8343-00144feab49a.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fhome%2Fuk |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> and stayed there after September 2003 for an additional semester teaching a course titled "What's Left? The Politics of Social Justice".<ref name="What's Left?">Adams, Richard (30 September 2003). "City diary". ''The Guardian'' (London). p. 19.</ref> During this time, he was granted "access" to [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[John Kerry]] and reported to Brown on the presidential hopeful's progress.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Scotsman]]|title=Miliband talks to Democratic presidential candidate | date=6 March 2004|page=12}}</ref> After Miliband returned to the UK in January 2004 Gordon Brown appointed him Chairman of HM Treasury's Council of Economic Advisers as a replacement for [[Ed Balls]], with specific responsibility for directing the UK's long-term economic planning.<ref name="Economic Advisers">{{cite news|last=Grice|first=Andrew|date=10 January 2004|title=Brown shuffles advisers to prepare for Balls' departure|newspaper=The Independent|location=London|page=2}}</ref> |
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===Parliament=== |
===Parliament=== |
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[[File:Miliband, Ed (2007).jpg|thumb|200px|Miliband in 2007.]] |
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In early 2005, Miliband resigned his advisory role to HM Treasury to stand for election. [[Kevin Hughes (politician)|Kevin Hughes]], then the Labour MP for [[Doncaster North (UK Parliament constituency)|Doncaster North]], announced in February of that year that he would be standing down at the next election due to being diagnosed with [[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis|motor neurone disease]]. Miliband applied for selection to be the [[prospective parliamentary candidate|candidate]] in the safe Labour seat and won, beating off a close challenge from [[Michael Dugher]], then a [[Special advisers (UK government)|SPAD]] to [[Secretary of State for Defence|Defence Secretary]] [[Geoff Hoon]].<ref>''Yorkshire Post'', 26 March 2005</ref> |
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In early 2005, Miliband resigned his advisory role to HM Treasury to stand for election. Kevin Hughes, then the Labour MP for Doncaster North, announced in February of that year that he would be standing down at the next election due to being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Miliband was elected on 5 May 2005, with 55.5% of the vote and a majority of 12,656. |
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Gordon Brown visited Doncaster North during the general election campaign to support his former adviser.<ref>''Doncaster Free Press'', 14 April 2005</ref> Miliband was elected on [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|5 May 2005]], with 55.5% of the vote and a majority of 12,656. He made his [[maiden speech]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] on 23 May, responding to comments made by future [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]] [[John Bercow]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2005-05-23a.487.0|title=Home Affairs and Communities|publisher=[[Hansard]] via [[TheyWorkForYou.com|TheyWorkForYou]]|date=23 May 2005|accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref> In Tony Blair's frontbench reshuffle in May 2006, he was made [[Parliamentary Secretary]] [[Cabinet Office|to the Cabinet Office]], as Minister for the [[Voluntary sector|Third Sector]], with responsibility for voluntary and charity organisations.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=15 July 2011|url=http://www.senscot.net/view_art.php?viewid=4760|title=The third sector's big tent|publisher=Senscot.net|date=2 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4976414.stm |title=At-a-glance: Tony Blair reshuffle |date=5 May 2006 |publisher=[[BBC News (TV channel)|BBC News 24]] |accessdate=3 January 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204135217/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4976414.stm |archivedate=4 February 2009 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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===Cabinet=== |
===Cabinet=== |
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On 28 June 2007 Miliband was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, being promoted to the cabinet. |
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[[File:Ed Miliband at the CBI Climate Change Summit 2008 3.jpg|thumb|200px|Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, at the Confederation of British Industry's Climate Change Summit 2008 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.]] |
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On 28 June 2007, the day after Gordon Brown became [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], Miliband was sworn of the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]] and appointed [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]] and [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]], being promoted to the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|cabinet]].<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=19 October 2008 |date=28 June 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6247502.stm |title=Brown unveils huge Cabinet revamp |publisher=BBC News Channel |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609155457/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6247502.stm |archivedate=9 June 2009 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> This meant that he and his brother, [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] David Miliband, became the first brothers to serve in a British cabinet since [[Edward Stanley, Lord Stanley (politician, born 1894)|Edward]] and [[Oliver Stanley]] in 1938.<ref>{{cite news|date=27 September 2010 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/oh-brother-siblings-who-share-the-limelight-2091130.html?action=Gallery |title=Oh brother! Siblings who share the limelight |newspaper=The Independent |accessdate=11 September 2011 |location=London |first=Neela |last=Debnath |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124022030/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/oh-brother-siblings-who-share-the-limelight-2091130.html?action=Gallery |archivedate=24 January 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> He was additionally given the task of drafting Labour's manifesto for the [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|2010 general election]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Work begins on new manifesto |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6899686.stm |publisher=BBC News Channel |date=15 July 2007 |accessdate=11 September 2011 |archivedate=21 October 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021083951/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6899686.stm |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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On 3 October 2008, Miliband was promoted to become |
On 3 October 2008, Miliband was promoted to become Secretary of State for the newly created Department of Energy and Climate Change in a cabinet reshuffle. On 16 October, Miliband announced that the British government would legislate to oblige itself to cut greenhouse emissions by 80% by 2050, rather than the 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions previously announced. |
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During the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal, Miliband was named by the ''Daily Telegraph'' as one of the "saints" of the scandal, due to his claiming one of the lowest amounts of expenses in the House of Commons and submitting no claims that later had to be paid back. |
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In March 2009, while Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Miliband attended the UK premiere of climate change film ''[[The Age of Stupid]]'', where he was ambushed by actor [[Pete Postlethwaite]], who threatened to return his [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] and vote for any party other than Labour if the [[Kingsnorth 2|Kingsnorth coal-fired power station]] were to be given the go-ahead by the government.<ref>{{cite news|title=The night Ed Miliband said 'I'm with Stupid, but...' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/mar/16/the-age-of-stupid-renewableenergy |location=London |newspaper=The Guardian |first=Lucy |last=Siegle |date=16 March 2009 |archivedate=21 March 2009 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321092603/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/mar/16/the-age-of-stupid-renewableenergy |df=dmy }}</ref> A month later, Miliband announced to the House of Commons a change to the government's policy on coal-fired power stations, saying that any potential new coal-fired power stations would be unable to receive government consent unless they could demonstrate that they would be able to effectively capture and bury 25% of the emissions they produce immediately, with a view to seeing that rise to 100% of emissions by 2025. This, a government source told ''[[the Guardian]]'', effectively represented "a complete rewrite of UK energy policy for the future".<ref>{{cite news|first1=John |last1=Vidal |first2=Juliette |last2=Jowit |title=Ed Miliband promises new era of clean coal – but who will pay? |location=London |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 April 2009 |quote=Instead of a laissez-faire system where companies told government what they wanted to build and where, government has decided that reducing climate change emissions cannot be left to the market. |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/apr/24/energy-coal-carbon-capture-environment |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426100029/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/24/energy-coal-carbon-capture-environment |archivedate=26 April 2009 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband represented the UK at the [[2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference|2009 Copenhagen Summit]], from which emerged a global commitment to provide an additional US$10 billion a year to fight the effects of [[climate change]], with an additional $100 billion a year provided by 2020.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ed |last=Miliband |date=20 December 2009 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/dec/20/copenhagen-climate-change-accord |location=London |title=The road from Copenhagen |archivedate=22 December 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222084134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/20/copenhagen-climate-change-accord |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> The conference was not able to achieve a legally binding agreement. Miliband accused China of deliberately foiling attempts at a binding agreement; China explicitly denied this, accusing British politicians of engaging in a "political scheme".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8425720.stm |title=China rejects UK claims it hindered Copenhagen talks |work=BBC News |date=22 December 2009 |accessdate=26 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222052601/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8425720.stm |archivedate=22 December 2009 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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During the [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal|2009 parliamentary expenses scandal]], Miliband was named by the ''Daily Telegraph'' as one of the "saints" of the scandal, due to his claiming one of the lowest amounts of expenses in the House of Commons and submitting no claims that later had to be paid back.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=13 August 2009 |location=London |date=18 May 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5342811/MPs-expenses-The-saints-Part-i.html?image=8 |title=MPs' expenses: The saints |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521124729/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5342811/MPs-expenses-The-saints-Part-i.html?image=8 |archivedate=21 May 2009 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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==Leadership of the Labour Party== |
==Leadership of the Labour Party== |
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===Leadership election=== |
===Leadership election=== |
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Following the formatio] of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government on 11 May 2010, Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party with immediate effect. On 14 May, Miliband announced that he would stand as a candidate in the forthcoming leadership election. He was nominated by 62 fellow Labour MPs. |
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[[File:Ed Miliband on August 27, 2010.jpg|250px|thumb|Miliband in his leadership campaign, 2010.]] |
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Following the [[2010 United Kingdom government formation|formation]] of the [[Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement|Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government]] on 11 May 2010, Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party with immediate effect. [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy Leader]] Harriet Harman took over as Acting Leader and became [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]. On 14 May, Miliband announced that he would stand as a candidate in the [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010|forthcoming leadership election]].<ref>{{cite news|deadurl=no |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8684063.stm |title=Ed Miliband to take on brother David in leader battle |work=BBC News |date=16 May 2010 |accessdate=9 June 2010 |archivedate=9 February 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209144714/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8684063.stm |df=dmy }}</ref> He launched his campaign during a speech given at a [[Fabian Society]] conference and was nominated by 62 fellow Labour MPs. The other candidates were left-wing backbencher [[Diane Abbott]], [[Secretary of State for Education|Shadow Education Secretary]] Ed Balls, [[Secretary of State for Health|Shadow Health Secretary]] [[Andy Burnham]] and Miliband's elder brother, [[Shadow Foreign Secretary]] David Miliband.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ed Miliband to stand against his brother in leadership race |date=15 May 2010 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7127230.ece |newspaper=The Times |first=Tom |last=Baldwin |accessdate=26 October 2010 |location=London |archivedate=29 June 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629124252/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7127230.ece |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Allegra |last=Stratton |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/sep/26/ed-miliband-partner-justine-thornton |title=Ed Miliband's partner Justine Thornton is shy but steely |newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 September 2010 |accessdate=26 October 2010 |location=London |archivedate=29 September 2010 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929194636/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/26/ed-miliband-partner-justine-thornton |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Ed Miliband subsequently won the election, the result of which was announced on 25 September 2010, after second, third and fourth preferences votes were counted, achieving the support of 50.654% of the electoral college. |
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On 23 May, former Labour leader [[Neil Kinnock]] announced that he would endorse Ed Miliband's campaign, saying that he had "the capacity to inspire people" and that he had "strong values and the ability to 'lift' people".<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=13 September 2011 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/may/23/ed-miliband-neil-kinnock-labour-leadership |title=Ed Miliband wins crucial backing from Neil Kinnock in Labour leadership race |publisher=The Guardian |work=The Observer |date=23 May 2010 |location=London |first=Toby |last=Helm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524172850/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/23/ed-miliband-neil-kinnock-labour-leadership |archivedate=24 May 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Other senior Labour figures who backed the younger Miliband included Tony Benn and former deputy leaders [[Roy Hattersley]] and [[Margaret Beckett]]. By 9 June, the deadline for entry into the leadership election, Miliband had been nominated by just over 24% of the [[Parliamentary Labour Party]], double the threshold. By September, Miliband had received the support of six trade unions, including both [[Unite the Union|Unite]] and [[UNISON]], 151 of 650 [[Constituency Labour Party|Constituency Labour Parties]], three affiliated socialist societies, and half of Labour [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.labourlist.org/ed-milibands-plp-support---running-totals |title=Ed Miliband's support: 73 MPs, 6 MEPs, 151 CLPs, 6 TUs, 3 SSocs |publisher=[[Labour List]] |date=17 May 2010 |accessdate=20 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525050213/http://www.labourlist.org/ed-milibands-plp-support---running-totals |archivedate=25 May 2010 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Ed Miliband subsequently won the election, the result of which was announced on 25 September 2010, after second, third and fourth preferences votes were counted, achieving the support of 50.654% of the electoral college, defeating his brother by 1.3%.<ref>{{cite news|date=25 September 2010 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11412031 |work=BBC News |title=Ed Miliband is elected leader of the Labour Party |archivedate=26 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926044003/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11412031 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In the fourth and final stage of the redistribution of votes after three candidates had been eliminated, Ed Miliband led in the trade unions and affiliated organisations section of the electoral college (19.93% of the total to David's 13.40%), but in both the MPs and MEPs section (15.52% to 17.81%), and Constituency Labour Party section (15.20% to 18.14%), came second. In the final round, Ed Miliband won with a total of 175,519 votes to David's 147,220 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/sep/26/labour-leadership-results-election#results |title=Labour leadership result: get the full data |accessdate=29 August 2011 |location=London |newspaper=The Guardian |first=Simon |last=Rogers |date=26 September 2010 |archivedate=28 September 2010 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928212744/http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/sep/26/labour-leadership-results-election#results |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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===Leader of the Opposition=== |
===Leader of the Opposition=== |
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On 23 January 2013, Miliband stated that he was against holding a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union because of the economic uncertainty that it would create. |
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[[File:Ed Miliband conference speech in Manchester, September 2010.jpeg|250px|thumb|Miliband speaking in 2010 Labour conference as a recently elected leader.]] |
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[[File:Miliband west midlands conference cropped.jpg|250px|thumb|Ed Miliband addressing the West Midlands Regional Conference, 12 November 2011]] |
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On becoming Leader of the Labour Party on 25 September 2010, Miliband also became Leader of the Opposition. At 40, he was the youngest leader of the party ever. At his first [[Prime Minister's Questions]] on 13 October 2010, he raised questions about the government's announced removal of a non-[[means tested]] [[child benefit]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11527750 |title=Ed Miliband to make prime minister's questions debut |work=BBC News |date=13 October 2010 |accessdate=26 October 2010 |archivedate=13 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013045330/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11527750 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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At the Labour conference in September 2013, Miliband highlighted his party's stance on the NHS and announced if elected Labour would abolish the bedroom tax. The conference included several 'signature' policies, such as strengthening the minimum wage, freezing business rates, building 200,000 houses a year, lowering the voting age to 16, and the provision of childcare by primary schools between 8am and 6pm. The policy that attracted the most attention was the commitment to help tackle the 'cost-of-living crisis' by freezing gas and electricity prices until 2017 to give time to 'reset the market' in favour of consumers. |
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During the 2011 military intervention in Libya, Miliband supported UK military action against [[Muammar Gaddafi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12799577 |title=Ed Miliband supports UK military action against Gaddafi |work=BBC News |date=20 March 2011 |accessdate=21 March 2011 |archivedate=20 March 2011 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320225327/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12799577 |df=dmy }}</ref> Miliband spoke at a large "[[March for the Alternative]]" rally held in London on 26 March 2011 to protest against cuts to public spending, though he was criticised by some for comparing it to the anti-apartheid and American civil rights movements.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hennessy |first=Patrick |author2=Kite, Melissa |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/8408779/Embarrassment-for-Labour-leader-as-riots-start-as-he-speaks-at-cut-rally.html |title=Embarrassment for Labour leader as riots start as he speaks of cuts |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=27 March 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424181722/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/8408779/Embarrassment-for-Labour-leader-as-riots-start-as-he-speaks-at-cut-rally.html |archivedate=24 April 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/colleagues-defend-miliband-rally-speech-2254550.html|title=Colleagues defend Miliband rally speech|location=London|last=Padley |first=Ben|agency=Press Association|date=27 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12874631 |title=London cuts march: Government sticking to plan – Cable |work=BBC News |date=27 March 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110401084914/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12874631 |archivedate=1 April 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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In February 2015, Labour pledged to reverse the privatisation of the railways by getting rid of the franchising system. |
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A June 2011 poll result from [[Ipsos MORI]] put Labour 2 percentage points ahead of the Conservatives, but Miliband's personal rating was low, being rated as less popular than [[Iain Duncan Smith]] at a similar stage in his leadership.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2011/06/labour-opens-up-a-gap-on-the-nhs-but-miliband-tracks-ids/#axzz1S4P7jwe4 |last=Stacey |first=Kiran |title=Labour opens up a gap on the NHS, but Miliband tracks IDS |work=Financial Times Westminster blog |date=23 June 2011 |accessdate=22 July 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626021432/http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2011/06/labour-opens-up-a-gap-on-the-nhs-but-miliband-tracks-ids/#axzz1S4P7jwe4 |archivedate=26 June 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> The same organisation's polling did find that Miliband's personal ratings in his first full year of leadership were better than [[David Cameron]]'s during his first full year as Conservative leader in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|last=Helm |first=Toby |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/dec/31/ed-miliband-labour-challenge |title=As Labour falters in the polls, can Ed Miliband silence the doubters? |publisher=''The Guardian'' |work=The Observer |date=31 December 2011 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |location=London |archivedate=3 January 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103185724/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/dec/31/ed-miliband-labour-challenge |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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In July 2011, following the revelation that the ''[[News of the World]]'' had [[News International phone hacking scandal|paid private investigators to hack into the phones]] of [[Murder of Milly Dowler|Milly Dowler]], as well as the families of murder victims and deceased servicemen, Miliband called for [[News UK|News International]] chief executive [[Rebekah Brooks]] to resign, urged David Cameron to establish a public, judge-led inquiry into the scandal, and announced that he would force a Commons vote on whether to block the News International bid for a controlling stake in [[Sky (United Kingdom)|BSkyB]]. He also called for the [[Press Complaints Commission]] to be abolished – a call later echoed by Cameron and [[Nick Clegg]] – and called into question Cameron's judgement in hiring former ''News of the World'' editor [[Andy Coulson]] to be his [[director of communications]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14027879 |title=Rebekah Brooks must go over Milly 'hacking' – Miliband |work=BBC News |date=5 July 2011 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708140917/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14027879 |archivedate=8 July 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Cameron later took the unusual step of saying that the government would back Miliband's motion that the BSkyB bid be dropped, and an hour before Miliband's motion was due to be debated, News International announced that it would withdraw the bid.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14127282 |title=Phone hacking: Rupert Murdoch could face MPs |work=BBC News |date=12 July 2011 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713132357/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14127282 |archivedate=13 July 2011 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=13 July 2011 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14142307 |title=News Corp withdraws bid for BSkyB |work=BBC News |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713201639/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14142307 |archivedate=13 July 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Following the [[2011 England riots|riots in England]] in August 2011, Miliband called for a public inquiry into the events, and insisted society had "to avoid simplistic answers". The call for an inquiry was rejected by David Cameron, prompting Miliband to say he would set up his own. In a BBC Radio 4 interview shortly after the riots, Miliband spoke of an irresponsibility that applied not only to the people involved in the riots, but "wherever we find it in our society. We've seen in the past few years...MPs' expenses, what happened in the banks". Miliband also said Labour did not do enough to tackle moral problems during its 13 years in office.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14503023 |work=BBC News |title=Riots: Miliband blames 'me first' culture |date=12 August 2011 |accessdate=10 September 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813032445/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14503023 |archivedate=13 August 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In December 2011 Miliband appointed Tim Livesey, a former adviser to the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], to be his full-time chief of staff.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wintour |first=Patrick |accessdate=6 February 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/dec/21/ed-miliband-appoints-archbishop-adviser |title=Ed Miliband appoints archbishop's adviser as chief of staff |location=London |date=21 December 2011 |archivedate=25 July 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725012351/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/dec/21/ed-miliband-appoints-archbishop-adviser |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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In his first speech of 2012, Miliband said that if Labour won the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015 general election]] times would be difficult economically, but Labour was still the only party capable of delivering "fairness". He also said he would tackle "vested interests", citing energy and rail companies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16473548 |title=Ed Miliband: Labour leader warns party on spending |work=BBC News |date=10 January 2012 |accessdate=10 January 2012 |deadurl=no |archivedate=10 January 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110025913/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16473548 |df=dmy }}</ref> Following the announcement in late January 2012 that the chief executive officer of the nationalised [[Royal Bank of Scotland]], [[Stephen Hester]], would receive a bonus worth £950,000, Miliband called the amount "disgraceful", and urged David Cameron to act to prevent the bonus. Cameron refused, saying it was a matter for the RBS board, leading Miliband to announce that Labour would force a Commons vote on whether or not the government should block it. Hester announced that he would forego his bonus, and Miliband said Labour would carry on with a Commons vote regardless, focusing instead on the bonuses of other RBS executives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16783849 |title=Why Hester turned down the bonus |work=BBC News |date=29 January 2012 |accessdate=5 February 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202012051/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16783849 |archivedate=2 February 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 January 2012 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16787368 |title=Cameron urges RBS to show 'restraint' over more bonuses |work=BBC News |accessdate=5 February 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130134311/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16787368 |archivedate=30 January 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Following [[George Galloway|George Galloway's]] unexpected win in the [[Bradford West by-election, 2012|March by-election]] in [[Bradford West (UK Parliament constituency)|Bradford West]], Miliband announced he would lead an inquiry into the result, saying, it "could not be dismissed as a one-off".<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17694224 |title=Miliband says Labour 'will not forget' Bradford loss |date=12 April 2012 |accessdate=13 April 2012 |archivedate=13 April 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413031829/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17694224 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In April 2012, in the midst of a debate about the nature of political party funding, Miliband called on David Cameron to institute a £5,000 cap on donations from individuals and organisations to political parties, after it had been suggested that the government favoured a cap of £50,000.<ref>{{cite news|title=Miliband urges £5,000 donors' cap |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17719404 |work=BBC News |date=15 April 2012 |accessdate=15 April 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415181646/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17719404 |archivedate=15 April 2012 }}</ref> On 14 July 2012, Miliband became the first Leader of the Labour Party to attend and address the [[Durham Miners' Gala]] in 23 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jul/14/ed-miliband-durham-miners-gala |title=Ed Miliband to speak at Durham Miners' Gala |agency=Press Association |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=14 July 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714052743/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jul/14/ed-miliband-durham-miners-gala |archivedate=14 July 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In the same month, Miliband became the first British politician to be invited to France to meet the new [[President of France|French President]], [[François Hollande]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hollandes-red-carpet-revenge-on-cameron-7964249.html |title=Hollande's red carpet revenge on Cameron |newspaper=The Independent |last=Merrick |first=Jane |location=London |date=22 July 2012 |accessdate=31 July 2012 |archivedate=23 July 2012 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723011446/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hollandes-red-carpet-revenge-on-cameron-7964249.html |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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On 23 January 2013, Miliband stated that he was against holding a referendum on the UK's membership of the [[European Union]] because of the economic uncertainty that it would create.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/01/pmqs-review-miliband-says-no-eu-referendum-cameron-fails-notice |title=PMQs review: Miliband says "no" to an EU referendum but Cameron fails to notice |last=Eaton |first=George |date=23 January 2013 |accessdate=24 February 2013 |journal=New Statesman |location=London |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126070133/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/01/pmqs-review-miliband-says-no-eu-referendum-cameron-fails-notice |archivedate=26 January 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> On 18 March 2013, Miliband reached a deal with both Cameron and Nick Clegg on new press regulation laws following the [[Leveson Inquiry]], which he said "satisfied the demands of protection for victims and freedom of the press".<ref>{{cite news|title=Press regulation deal struck by parties |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21825823 |work=BBC News |date=18 March 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318013934/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21825823 |archivedate=18 March 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In August 2013, following the [[recall of Parliament]] to discuss an [[Ghouta chemical attack|alleged chemical attack in Syria]], Miliband announced that Labour would oppose any military intervention on the basis that there was insufficient evidence.<ref name=theguardian1>{{cite news|title=I believe Britain can still make a difference in Syria |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/30/britain-still-difference-syria |date=3 October 2013 |accessdate=7 October 2013 |archivedate=31 August 2013 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831152207/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/30/britain-still-difference-syria |df=dmy }}</ref> David Cameron had been in favour of such action but lost the ensuing vote, making it the first time that a British prime minister had been prevented from instigating military action by parliament since 1956.<ref name=theguardian1/> |
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At the Labour conference in September 2013, Miliband highlighted his party's stance on the [[National Health Service (England)|NHS]] and announced if elected Labour would abolish the [[Under-occupancy penalty|bedroom tax]]. The conference included several 'signature' policies, such as strengthening the [[Minimum wage in the United Kingdom|minimum wage]], freezing business rates, building 200,000 houses a year, lowering the [[Voting age#United Kingdom|voting age]] to 16, and the provision of childcare by primary schools between 8{{nbsp}}am and 6{{nbsp}}pm. The policy that attracted the most attention was the commitment to help tackle the 'cost-of-living crisis' by freezing gas and electricity prices until 2017 to give time to 'reset the market' in favour of consumers.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Bale|first1=Tim|title=Five Year Mission: The Labour Party under Ed Miliband|date=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-870296-2|pages=194–201|edition=1st|ref=harv}}</ref> In January 2014 Miliband extended the concept of reform to include the 'big five' banks, in addition to the 'big six' utility companies, and discussed the impact of the cost-of-living on the 'squeezed middle' saying "the current cost-of-living crisis is not just about people on [[tax credit]]s, [[zero-hour contract]]s and the minimum wage. It is about the millions of middle-class families who never dreamt that life would be such a struggle".<ref>{{cite web|title = Ed Miliband: I can save the middle class|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/10569973/Ed-Miliband-I-can-save-the-middle-class.html|accessdate = 6 June 2015|date = 13 January 2014|website = [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|first = James|last = Kirkup}}</ref> |
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Throughout 2014, Miliband changed Labour's policy on [[immigration]], partly in response to [[UK Independence Party|UKIP]]'s performance in the European and local elections in May, and the close result in the [[Heywood and Middleton by-election, 2014|Heywood and Middleton by-election]] in October. Miliband committed to increase funding for border checks, tackle exploitation and the undercutting of wages, require employers who recruit abroad to create apprenticeships, and ensure workers in public-facing roles have minimum standards of English. In November 2014, Labour announced plans to require new EU migrants wait two years before claiming benefits.<ref>{{cite web|title = Our Immigration Reform Bill will set out our new approach to make a real difference.|url = http://www.labour.org.uk/blog/entry/our-immigration-reform-bill-will-set-out-our-new-approach-to-make-a-real-di|website = The Labour Party|accessdate = 6 June 2015|date = 23 October 2014|last = Miliband|first = Ed|deadurl = yes|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150607013112/http://www.labour.org.uk/blog/entry/our-immigration-reform-bill-will-set-out-our-new-approach-to-make-a-real-di|archivedate = 7 June 2015|df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = EU migrants would wait two years for jobless benefits, Labour says|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30102310|website = BBC News|accessdate = 6 June 2015}}</ref> |
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Miliband campaigned in the [[Scottish independence referendum, 2014|Scottish independence referendum]] with the cross-party [[Better Together (campaign)|Better Together]] campaign, supporting [[Scotland]]'s membership of the United Kingdom. Opinion polls showed solid leads for the 'no' campaign, with a 20 point-lead on 19 August. However, by the end of the month, the lead has fallen to just 6 points, with YouGov analysis showing a big shift in support among Labour supporters. Miliband made an unplanned visit to [[Lanarkshire]] to draw a contrast between a Labour and Conservative future for Scotland within the UK.<ref>{{cite web|title = Ed Miliband causes rift in Better Together campaign|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11076115/Ed-Miliband-causes-rift-in-Better-Together-campaign.html|accessdate = 6 June 2015|date = 5 September 2015|website = [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|last = Cochrane|first = Alan|last2 = Johnson|first2 = Simon}}</ref> A poll on 7 September showed a 2-point lead for the 'yes' campaign, leading to a joint commitment by Miliband, Cameron and Clegg for greater devolution to Scotland through a version of home rule.<ref>{{cite web|title = Scottish independence: Cameron, Miliband and Clegg sign 'No' vote pledge|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29213418|website = BBC News|accessdate = 6 June 2015}}</ref> The results on 19 September showed victory for the 'no' campaign, 55.3% to 44.7%.<ref>{{cite web|title = Scottish independence referendum – Results|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/events/scotland-decides/results|website = BBC News|accessdate = 6 June 2015}}</ref> |
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The day after the referendum, Cameron raised the issue of 'English votes for English laws', with Miliband criticising the move as a simplistic solution to a complex problem, eventually coming out in favour for a constitutional convention to be held after the general election.{{sfn|Bale|2015|p = 246}}<ref>{{cite web|title = Labour proposes devolution settlement to 'shape own futures'|url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/19/labour-ed-miliband-constitutional-convention|website = [[The Guardian]]|accessdate = 6 June 2015|first = Patrick|last = Wintour|date = 19 September 2014}}</ref> |
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The Labour party conference in Manchester on 21–24 September occurred days after the Scottish referendum result. Miliband's conference speech was criticised, particularly after he missed sections on the deficit and immigration, after attempting to deliver the speech without notes.<ref>{{cite web|title = Ed Miliband admits he forgot key section of Labour conference speech|url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/24/ed-miliband-forgets-labour-conference-speech|website = [[The Guardian]]|accessdate = 6 June 2015|first = Patrick|last = Wintour}}</ref> At the conference, Miliband pledged to focus on six national goals for Britain until 2025, including boosting pay, apprenticeships and housing; a mansion tax and levy on tobacco companies to fund £2.5 billion a year 'time to care' fund for the NHS; a commitment to raise the minimum wage to £8 or more by 2020; and a promise to lower the voting age to 16 ready for elections in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title = 2014 Labour Conference Speech|url = http://www.labour.org.uk/blog/entry/2014-labour-conference-speech|website = The Labour Party|accessdate = 6 June 2015|date = 23 September 2014|last = Miliband|first = Ed|deadurl = yes|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150607040207/http://www.labour.org.uk/blog/entry/2014-labour-conference-speech|archivedate = 7 June 2015|df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Ed Miliband promises £2.5bn funding boost 'to save NHS'|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29310512|website = BBC News|accessdate = 6 June 2015|date = 23 September 2014}}</ref> |
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In February 2015, Labour pledged to reverse the [[Impact of the privatisation of British Rail|privatisation of the railways]] by getting rid of the franchising system, after previously saying that they would allow the public sector to bid for franchises.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith |first=Giles |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/02/exclusive-michael-dugher-promises-public-control-railways-under-labour |title=Exclusive: Michael Dugher promises "public control" of railways under Labour |publisher=Newstatesman.com |date=18 February 2015 |accessdate=12 July 2016}}</ref> |
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===Shadow Cabinet=== |
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{{main|Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband}} |
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[[File:Ed Miliband PMQs.png|thumb|At [[Prime Minister's Questions|PMQs]] circa 2012, flanked by Ed Balls and Harriet Harman.]] |
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The first [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 2010|election to the Shadow Cabinet]] that took place under Miliband's leadership was on 7 October 2010. Ending days of speculation, David Miliband announced that he would not seek election to the Shadow Cabinet on 29 September, the day nominations closed, saying he wanted to avoid "constant comparison" with his brother Ed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/sep/29/david-miliband-quits-frontline-politics |title=David Miliband quits frontline politics |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 September 2010 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |location=London |first=Helene |last=Mulholland |archivedate=1 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001084844/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/29/david-miliband-quits-frontline-politics |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> The three other defeated candidates for the Labour leadership all stood in the election, though Diane Abbott failed to win enough votes to gain a place. Following the election, Miliband unveiled his [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband|Shadow Cabinet]] on 8 October 2010. Among others he appointed [[Alan Johnson]] as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Yvette Cooper was chosen as Shadow Foreign Secretary, and both defeated Labour leadership candidates Ed Balls and Andy Burnham were given senior roles, becoming [[Shadow Home Secretary]] and Shadow Education Secretary respectively. Burnham was also given responsibility for overseeing Labour's election co-ordination. |
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[[Sadiq Khan]], who managed Miliband's successful leadership campaign, was appointed [[Secretary of State for Justice|Shadow Justice Secretary]] and [[Lord Chancellor|Shadow Lord Chancellor]], and continuing Deputy Leader Harriet Harman continued to shadow [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]] Nick Clegg, as well as being made [[Secretary of State for International Development|Shadow International Development Secretary]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.labour.org.uk/labours-new-shadow-cabinet |title=Labour's New Shadow Cabinet |publisher=[[Labour Party (UK)]] |accessdate=16 October 2010 |archivedate=10 October 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010195841/http://www2.labour.org.uk/labours-new-shadow-cabinet |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref> Alan Johnson would later resign, stepping down for "personal reasons" on 20 January 2011, necessitating Miliband's first reshuffle, in which he made Balls Shadow Chancellor, Cooper Shadow Home Secretary and Douglas Alexander Shadow Foreign Secretary.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12242397 |title=Alan Johnson 'to quit front-line politics' |publisher=BBC News Online |date=20 January 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121050223/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12242397 |archivedate=21 January 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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On 24 June 2011, it was reported that Miliband was seeking to change the decades-old rule that Labour's Shadow Cabinet would be elected every two years, instead wanting to adopt a system where he alone had the authority to select its members. Miliband later confirmed the story, claiming that the rule represented "a legacy of Labour's past in opposition".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13898192 |title=Ed Miliband seeks to change shadow cabinet selection |work= |date=24 June 2011 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624195911/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13898192 |archivedate=24 June 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> On 5 July, Labour MPs voted overwhelmingly by a margin of 196 to 41 to back the rule change, paving the way for [[National Executive Committee|NEC]] and [[Labour Party (UK) Conference|conference]] approval, which was secured in September 2011.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Five Year Mission: The Labour Party under Ed Miliband|last = Bale|first = Tim|publisher = Oxford University Press|year = 2015|isbn = 978-0-19-870296-2|location = Oxford|page = 67|edition = 1st|chapter = }}</ref><ref name="D-H leave">{{cite news|date=6 October 2011 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15205409 |title=Denham and Healey leave in shadow cabinet reshuffle |publisher=BBC News Online |accessdate=6 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006210550/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15205409 |archivedate=6 October 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> This made Miliband the first Labour leader to have the authority to pick his own Shadow Cabinet.<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14024077 |title=Labour MPs back Miliband on shadow cabinet elections |date=5 July 2011 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706163044/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14024077 |archivedate=6 July 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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On 7 October 2011, [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband#2011 reshuffle|Miliband reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet]]. [[John Denham (politician)|John Denham]], [[John Healey (politician)|John Healey]] and [[Shaun Woodward]] announced that they were stepping down, while [[Meg Hillier]], [[Ann McKechin]] and [[Patricia Scotland|Baroness Scotland]] also left the Shadow Cabinet. Veteran MPs [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]], [[Jon Trickett]], [[Stephen Twigg]] and [[Vernon Coaker]] were promoted to the Shadow Cabinet, as were several of the 2010 intake, including [[Chuka Umunna]], [[Margaret Curran]] and [[Rachel Reeves]], with [[Liz Kendall]] and Michael Dugher given the right to attend Shadow Cabinet. [[Stewart Wood, Baron Wood of Anfield|Lord Wood]] and [[Emily Thornberry]] were also made Shadow Cabinet attendees.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15212234 |title=Ed Miliband promotes fresh faces to Labour top team |work=BBC News |date=7 October 2011 |accessdate=8 October 2011 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007153731/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15212234 |archivedate=7 October 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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On 15 May 2012, Miliband appointed [[Owen Smith]] to replace [[Peter Hain]] – who retired from frontline politics – as [[Secretary of State for Wales|Shadow Welsh Secretary]], and also promoted [[Jon Cruddas]] to the Shadow Cabinet, putting him in charge of overseeing Labour's ongoing policy review with a view to draft Labour's manifesto for the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|next election]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18077008 |title=Cruddas gets policy brief in shadow cabinet reshuffle |work=BBC News |date=15 May 2012 |accessdate=19 May 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515181829/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18077008 |archivedate=15 May 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> On 4 July 2013, Miliband effectively sacked Tom Watson from the Shadow Cabinet after [[2013 Labour Party Falkirk candidate selection|allegations of corruption]] over the selection of a parliamentary candidate for [[Falkirk (UK Parliament constituency)|Falkirk]]. Watson had offered his resignation, but when Miliband was asked by a journalist specifically whether he had sacked Watson, he replied, "...I said it was right for him to go, yes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10530599.Ed_Miliband_sacked_Tom_Watson_over_Unite_row/ |title=Ed Miliband sacked Tom Watson over Unite row |location=Brighton |last=Davies |first=Gareth |newspaper=[[The Argus (Brighton)|The Argus]] |accessdate=6 July 2013 |date=5 July 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002174618/http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10530599.Ed_Miliband_sacked_Tom_Watson_over_Unite_row/ |archivedate=2 October 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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On 7 October 2013, [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband#2013 reshuffle|Miliband reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet]] for the third time, saying that this would be the last reshuffle before the general election.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news|date=7 October 2013 |accessdate=19 November 2013 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24434289 |title=Labour reshuffle: Jim Murphy moved from defence |work=BBC News |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017210519/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24434289 |archivedate=17 October 2013 }}</ref> In a move similar to his 2011 reshuffle, several MPs from the 2010 intake were promoted, while more long-serving MPs were moved. [[Tristram Hunt]] and Rachel Reeves received promotions, while [[Liam Byrne]] and Stephen Twigg were among those demoted.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> |
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Miliband conducted a final mini-reshuffle ahead of the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015 general election]] in November 2014, when [[Jim Murphy]] resigned as Shadow International Development Secretary to become Leader of the Scottish Labour Party. |
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===Local and European elections=== |
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[[File:Andy McDonald and Ed Miliband in Middlesbrough, November 2012.jpg|250px|thumb|Andy McDonald and Ed Miliband in Middlesbrough, November 2012.]] |
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Miliband's first electoral tests as Labour Leader came in the elections to the [[Scottish Parliament election, 2011|Scottish Parliament]], [[National Assembly for Wales election, 2011|Welsh Assembly]] and [[United Kingdom local elections, 2011|various councils]] across England, excluding London, on 5 May 2011. The results for Labour were described as a "mixed bag", with the party performing well in Wales – falling just one seat short of an overall majority and forming the next [[Welsh Government]] on its own – and making large gains from the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] in northern councils, including [[Sheffield]], [[Leeds]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Manchester]]. |
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Results were less encouraging in the south of England, and results in Scotland were described as a "disaster", with Labour losing nine seats to the SNP, which went on to gain the Parliament's first ever majority.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13310842 |work=BBC News |title=Vote 2011: Labour 'on way back', says Miliband |date=6 May 2011 |archivedate=10 March 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310162732/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13310842 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Miliband said that following the poor showings in Scotland "lessons must still be learnt".<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite news|location=London |last=Rainsborough |first=Thomas |date=23 May 2011 |url=http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2011/05/12336/ |title=Is Ed's head already on the chopping block? |newspaper=''[[Tribune (magazine)|Tribune]]'' |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312141935/http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2011/05/12336/ |archivedate=12 March 2012 |deadurl=no |accessdate=29 May 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband launched Labour's campaign for the [[United Kingdom local elections, 2012|2012 local elections]] with a speech in [[Birmingham]], accusing the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition government]] of "betrayal", and claiming that it "lacked the values" that Britain needed.<ref>{{cite news|last=Geoghegan |first=Ben |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17580718 |title=Ed Miliband launches Labour's local election campaign |work=BBC News |date=2 April 2012 |accessdate=19 April 2012 |archivedate=2 April 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402175458/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17580718 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> The Labour results were described as a success, with the party building on its performance the previous year in the north of England and Wales, consolidating its position in northern cities and winning control of places such as [[Cardiff]] and [[Swansea]].<ref name="localelec2012"/> Labour performed well in the Midlands and South of England, winning control of councils including Birmingham, [[Norwich]], [[Plymouth]] and [[Southampton]].<ref name=localelec2012/> Labour was less successful in Scotland than England and Wales, but retained control of [[Glasgow]] despite predictions it would not.<ref name=localelec2012/> Overall, Labour gained over 800 councillors and control of 22 councils.<ref name=localelec2012>{{cite news|work=BBC News |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17946745 |title=At-a-glance: Elections 2012 |date=4 May 2012 |accessdate=4 May 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504104940/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17946745 |archivedate=4 May 2012 }}</ref> |
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In April 2013, Miliband pledged ahead of the [[United Kingdom local elections, 2013|upcoming county elections]] that Labour would change planning laws to give local authorities greater authority to decide what shops can open in their high streets. He also said that Labour would introduce more strenuous laws relating to pay-day lenders and betting shops.<ref>{{cite news|date=8 April 2013 |work=[[Sky News]] |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1075122/labour-wants-payday-lenders-off-high-street |accessdate=8 April 2013 |title=Labour 'Wants Payday Lenders Off High Street' |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409100206/http://news.sky.com/story/1075122/labour-wants-payday-lenders-off-high-street |archivedate=9 April 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Labour subsequently gained nearly 300 councillors, as well as control of [[Nottinghamshire]] and [[Derbyshire|Derbyshire County Councils]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22401877 |title=Ed Miliband 'pleased' with local election results |work=BBC News |date=3 May 2013 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504095141/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22401877 |archivedate=4 May 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= George|last=Eaton|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/05/local-elections-labour-isnt-where-it-needs-be-win|title=Local elections: Labour isn't where it needs to be to win|journal=New Statesman |location=London|date=3 May 2012|accessdate=3 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=[[Channel 4 News]] |publisher=[[Channel 4]] |deadurl=no |url=http://www.channel4.com/news/local-election-2013-latest-results |title=Ukip local election surge: sea-change or flash in the pan |date=3 May 2013 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |archivedate=5 May 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505143733/http://www.channel4.com/news/local-election-2013-latest-results |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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In May 2014, Miliband led Labour through the [[European Parliament election, 2014 (United Kingdom)|European Parliament elections]], where the party increased its number of [[Member of the European Parliament|Members of the European Parliament]] from 13 to 20. Labour came second with 24.4% of the vote, finishing ahead of the Conservatives but behind the [[UK Independence Party]]. This was the first time since the [[European Parliament election, 1984 (United Kingdom)|European elections of 1984]] that the largest opposition party had failed to win the most seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1268952/european-elections-ukip-tops-british-polls|title=European Elections: UKIP Tops British Polls|work=Sky News|accessdate=28 April 2015}}</ref> On the same day, Labour polled ahead of all other parties at the [[United Kingdom local elections, 2014|local elections]], winning 31% of the vote and taking control of six additional councils. |
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===2015 general election and resignation=== |
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[[File:Ed Miliband speaking at Chatham House on 24 April 2015.jpg|Miliband speaking on "Britain's Place in the World: A Labour Perspective" at [[Chatham House]] on 24 April 2015|thumb|250px]] |
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On 30 March 2015, the Parliament of the United Kingdom dissolved and [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|a general election]] was called for 7 May. Miliband began his campaign by launching a "manifesto for business", stating that only by voting Labour would the UK's position within the European Union be secure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election-2015-32057645|title=Election Live – 30 March |work= BBC News|accessdate=28 April 2015}}</ref> Miliband subsequently unveiled five pledges at a rally in Birmingham which would form the focus of a future Labour government, specifically identifying policies on deficit reduction, living standards, the NHS, immigration controls and tuition fees. He included an additional pledge on housing and rent on 27 April.<ref>{{cite news|title = Ed Miliband to announce Labour's five election pledges at Birmingham rally|url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/14/ed-miliband-labour-five-election-pledges-birmingham-rally|work = The Guardian|accessdate = 3 June 2015|first = Patrick|last = Wintour}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Ed Miliband's speech in Stockton-on-Tees|url = http://press.labour.org.uk/post/117508448409/ed-milibands-speech-in-stockton-on-tees|website = press.labour.org.uk|accessdate = 3 June 2015}}</ref> On 14 April, Labour launched its full manifesto, which Miliband said was fully funded and would require no additional borrowing.<ref>{{cite news|title = Election 2015: Labour manifesto at-a-glance|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32284159|work = BBC News|accessdate = 3 June 2015}}</ref> During this time an online campaign began known as [[Milifandom]]. |
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Throughout the campaign for the 7 May elections, Miliband insisted that [[David Cameron]] should debate him one on one as part of a televised election broadcast <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32345462|title=Ed Miliband to David Cameron: 'Debate me one on one'|work=BBC News}}</ref> in order to highlight differences in policies between the two major parties, but this was never to happen, with the pair instead being interviewed separately by [[Jeremy Paxman]] as part of the first major televised political broadcast of the election involving multiple parties. |
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Despite opinion polls leading up to the general election predicting a tight result, Labour decisively lost the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|7 May general election]] to the Conservatives. Although gaining 22 seats, Labour lost all but one of its MPs in Scotland and ended up with a net loss of 26 seats, failing to win a number of key marginal seats that it had expected to win comfortably. After being returned as MP for [[Doncaster North]], Miliband stated that it had been a "difficult and disappointing" night for Labour.<ref>{{cite web|title = Results of the 2015 General Election – Election 2015|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2015/results/|website = BBC News|accessdate = 3 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Election results: Conservatives win majority|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633099|accessdate=29 July 2015|work=[[BBC News]]|date=8 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Pidd|first1=Helen|title=The marginal seats that swung the wrong way for Labour|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/08/general-election-uk-marginal-seats-swung-wrong-way-labour-bolton-west|accessdate=29 July 2015|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=8 March 2015}}</ref> Following David Cameron's success in forming a majority government, Miliband resigned as Leader of the Labour Party on 8 May, with [[Harriet Harman]] becoming acting leader while a [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2015|leadership election]] was initiated.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/08/ed-miliband-to-resign-as-labour-leader|title=Ed Miliband resigns as Labour leader}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/how-many-seats-did-labour-win-10233557.html|title=How many seats did Labour win?|author=Sophie McIntyre|date=8 May 2015|work=The Independent}}</ref> |
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== Backbencher == |
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Since resigning as Labour leader, Miliband has remained on the [[Backbencher|backbenches]]. He has spoken about inequality<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/04/ed-miliband-returns-to-the-commons-with-speech-on-inequality|title=Ed Miliband returns to the Commons with speech on inequality|last=Mason|first=Rowena|date=4 June 2015|work=|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref> and argued in favour of the [[Paris Agreement|Paris climate change agreement]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/22/paris-climate-change-conference-zero-emissions-planet|title=Yes, the Paris climate change conference can save the planet|last=Miliband|first=Ed|date=22 November 2015|work=|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/06/ed-miliband-calls-for-law-co2-emissions-target-legally-binding-paris-climate-talks|title=Ed Miliband calls for law to make CO2 emissions target legally binding|last=Syal|first=Rajeev|date=6 March 2016|work=|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref> In May 2016, Miliband appeared on the BBC's ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]'', arguing in favour of remain in the UK's [[United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016|EU referendum]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/26/ed-miliband-gets-called-david-miliband-twice-in-one-evening/|title=Ed Miliband gets called 'David' Miliband twice in one evening|last=McCann|first=Kate|date=27 May 2016|work=|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref> and subsequently campaigned for a Remain vote.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-ed-miliband-eu-referendum-climate-change-join-forces-labour-leaders-a7050461.html|title=Jeremy Corbyn and Ed Miliband are joining forces to warn about climate change|last=Cowburn|first=Ashley|date=26 May 2016|work=|newspaper=The Independent|language=en-GB|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref> |
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In the aftermath of the referendum result, Miliband said that although he had publicly supported [[Jeremy Corbyn]] since his election as leader, he had "reluctantly reached the conclusion [Corbyn's] position [was] untenable", calling for him to step down in June 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-miliband-jeremy-corbyn-resign-live-labour-leadership-step-down-a7109091.html|title=Ed Miliband calls for Jeremy Corbyn to resign|last=Stone|first=Jon|date=29 June 2016|work=|newspaper=The Independent|language=en-GB|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref> In the ensuing [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2016|contest]], Miliband supported leadership challenger [[Owen Smith]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/09/ed-miliband-endorses-owen-smith-for-labour-leader|title=Ed Miliband urges Labour members to vote for Owen Smith|last=Stewart|first=Heather|date=9 August 2016|work=|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=10 October 2016|via=}}</ref> In September 2016, Miliband joined the editorial board of ''[[The Political Quarterly]]'' journal, an unremunerated role.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/161031/miliband_edward.htm|title=House of Commons - The Register of Members' Financial Interests (31st October 2016: Miliband, Edward )|first=House of|last=Commons|website=www.publications.parliament.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politicalquarterly.org.uk/p/who-we-are.html|title=About PQ|website=www.politicalquarterly.org.uk}}</ref> |
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Renewing his previous stance on the issue in 2011, Miliband criticised [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s bid to takeover telecommunications company [[Sky UK|Sky]] in December 2016, subsequently supporting an inquiry by [[Ofcom]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/dec/20/ed-miliband-slams-sky-bid-murdoch-has-learned-nothing|title=Ed Miliband slams Sky bid: 'Murdoch has learned nothing'|last=Martinson|first=Jane|date=20 December 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2017|language=|issn=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/feb/09/ed-miliband-asks-ofcom-for-inquiry-into-rupert-murdoch-sky-bid|title=Ed Miliband asks Ofcom for inquiry into Rupert Murdoch Sky bid|last=Martinson|first=Jane|date=10 February 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2017|last2=Jackson|first2=Jasper|language=|issn=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/31/ofcom-must-block-murdoch-sky-takeover-miliband-cable|title=Ofcom must block Murdoch's Sky takeover, Miliband and Cable say|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=31 March 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2017|language=|issn=}}</ref> |
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==Policies and views== |
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===Self-described views=== |
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Miliband described himself as a new type of Labour politician, looking to move beyond the divisiveness of [[Blairism]] and [[Brownism]], and calling for an end to the "factionalism and psychodramas" of Labour's past. He also repeatedly spoke of the requirement for a "new politics".<ref>{{cite news|location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/8025055/Ed-Miliband-Self-confessed-maths-geek-with-a-talent-for-diplomacy.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |first=Melissa |last=Kite |title=Ed Miliband: Self-confessed maths 'geek' with a talent for diplomacy |date=25 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724234433/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/8025055/Ed-Miliband-Self-confessed-maths-geek-with-a-talent-for-diplomacy.html |archivedate=24 July 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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During the Labour leadership campaign, he described himself as a [[socialist]], and spoke out against some of the actions of the [[Blair ministry]], including criticising its record on civil liberties and foreign policy.<ref name="Dunt">{{cite web |last=Dunt |first=Ian |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/features/opinion-former-index/legal-and-constitutional/comment-ed-miliband-is-more-dangerous-than-they-think-$21384250.htm |title=Ed Miliband is more dangerous than they think |publisher=Politics |date=25 September 2010 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |archivedate=28 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928111107/http://www.politics.co.uk/features/opinion-former-index/legal-and-constitutional/comment-ed-miliband-is-more-dangerous-than-they-think-$21384250.htm |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Though he was not yet an MP at the time of the 2003 vote, Miliband was a strong critic of the [[Iraq War]].<ref name="Dunt" /><ref>{{cite web |work=edMiliband.org |url=http://edmiliband.org/speeches/leaders-speech-2010/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721213729/http://edmiliband.org/speeches/leaders-speech-2010/ |archivedate=21 July 2011 |title=Ed Miliband leader's speech |date=28 September 2010 |accessdate=25 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref> He backed UK military action and intervention in [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]] and [[2011 military intervention in Libya|Libya]] respectively. |
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Miliband called for "responsible capitalism" when [[Google]]'s [[Eric Schmidt]] commented on his corporation's non-payment of tax.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The First Post]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/22/google-corporate-responsibility-ed-miliband-speech |title=What responsible capitalism is all about |location=London |date=22 May 2013 |accessdate=28 June 2013 |last=Miliband |first=Ed |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523201806/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/22/google-corporate-responsibility-ed-miliband-speech |archivedate=23 May 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> He also supported making the UK's 50% top rate of tax permanent, as well as the institution of a new [[financial transaction tax]], mutualising [[Northern Rock]], putting limits on top salaries, scrapping [[Tuition fees in the United Kingdom|tuition fees]] in favour of a [[graduate tax]], implementing a [[Living wage|living wage policy]] and the [[Identity Cards Act 2006|scrapping of the ID cards policy]], and spoke in favour of a "National Care Service".<ref>{{cite news|date=25 September 2010 |accessdate=25 March 2011 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/8025068/Ed-Miliband-his-shadow-cabinet-and-key-policies.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |title=Ed Miliband: his shadow cabinet and key policies |location=London |archivedate=24 July 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724235045/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/8025068/Ed-Miliband-his-shadow-cabinet-and-key-policies.html |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/02/17/labour-calls-for-progress-on-gay-marriage/ |work=[[Pink News]] |location=London |last=Green |first=Jessica |title=Labour calls for progress on gay marriage |date=17 February 2011 |accessdate=25 March 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220000630/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/02/17/labour-calls-for-progress-on-gay-marriage/ |archivedate=20 February 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband worked closely with the think tank [[Policy Network]] on the concept of [[predistribution]] as a means to tackle what he described as 'the growing crisis in living standards'.<ref>{{cite news|date=21 June 2013 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22993321 |accessdate=22 July 2013 |publisher=BBC News |title=Jacob Hacker on pre distribution and Cameron PMQ jibe |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624064651/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22993321 |archivedate=24 June 2013 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> His announcement that [[predistribution]] would become a cornerstone of the UK Labour Party's economic policy was jokingly mocked by Prime Minister David Cameron during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.policy-network.net/content.aspx?CategoryID=354&ArticleID=3491&fp=1 |title=Pre-distribution and the crisis in living standards |accessdate=11 March 2014 |publisher=[[Policy Network]] |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311152142/http://www.policy-network.net/content.aspx?CategoryID=354&ArticleID=3491&fp=1 |archivedate=11 March 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Though Labour remained officially neutral, he in a personal capacity supported the ultimately unsuccessful [[YES! To Fairer Votes|"Yes to AV" campaign]] in the [[United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum, 2011|Alternative Vote referendum]] on 5 May 2011, saying that it would benefit Britain's "progressive majority".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12754592 |publisher=BBC News Online |title=AV referendum: Labour 'no' camp wrong, says Miliband |date=16 March 2011 |archivedate=18 March 2011 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318151444/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12754592 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=29 March 2011 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/av-referendum/8412988/Ed-Miliband-unites-with-Lib-Dems-for-AV-yes-campaign.html |location=London |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |title=Ed Miliband unites with Lib Dems for AV 'yes' campaign |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404013940/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/av-referendum/8412988/Ed-Miliband-unites-with-Lib-Dems-for-AV-yes-campaign.html |archivedate=4 April 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> In September 2011, Miliband stated that a future Labour Government would immediately cut the cap on tuition fees for university students from £9,000 per year to £6,000, though he also stated that he remained committed to a graduate tax in the long-run.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hawkins |first=Ross |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15050334 |title=Tuition fees: Labour pledges maximum cap of £6,000 |publisher=BBC News Online |date=25 September 2011 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925120913/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15050334 |archivedate=25 September 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Together with Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, Miliband also promoted a "five-point plan for jobs and growth" aimed at helping the UK economy, involving extending the bonus tax on banks pioneered by [[Alistair Darling]], bringing forward planned long-term investment to help reduce unemployment, cutting the rate of [[Value-added tax|VAT]] from 20% back to 17.5%, cutting VAT on home improvements to 5% for a temporary one-year period, and instigating a one-year [[National Insurance]] break to encourage employers to hire more staff.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Labour Party |date=19 October 2011 |url=http://www.labour.org.uk/plan |title=Labour's plan for jobs and growth |accessdate=21 January 2012 |archivedate=14 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014113512/http://www.labour.org.uk/plan |deadurl=yes |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband also endorsed the [[Blue Labour]] trend in the Labour Party, founded by [[Maurice Glasman, Baron Glasman|Maurice Glasman]]. Blue Labour talks about family and friendships at the heart of society, rather than just material wealth; it also offers a very strong critique of the free market as well as the big state. This was seen to have influenced his 2011 conference speech, signalling "predatory and productive capitalism".<ref>{{cite news|last=Wintour |first=Patrick |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/may/17/ed-miliband-endorses-blue-labour-thinking |title=Ed Miliband endorses 'Blue Labour' thinking |location=London |date=17 May 2011 |accessdate=22 May 2012 |archivedate=20 May 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520231319/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/may/17/ed-miliband-endorses-blue-labour-thinking |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/conference/2011/09/blue-labour-miliband-speech |title=How Blue Labour shaped Miliband's speech |work=New Statesman blog |location=London |date=29 September 2011 |accessdate=22 May 2012 |last=Davis |first=Rowenna |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930004859/http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/conference/2011/09/blue-labour-miliband-speech |archivedate=30 September 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband is progressive in regard to issues of gender and sexuality. He publicly identifies as a [[Feminism|feminist]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/27/david-cameron-feminist-t-shirt-refusal|title = David Cameron under fire for refusing to wear pro-feminist T-shirt|last = Halliday, Cresci|first = Josh, Elena|date = 27 October 2014|work = The Guardian|access-date = 11 January 2015}}</ref> March 2012 Miliband pledged his support for [[Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom|same sex marriage]]. As he signed an 'equal marriage pledge', he said, "I strongly agree gay and lesbian couples should have an equal right to marry and deserve the same recognition from the state and society as anyone else."<ref>{{cite news|last=Morris |first=Nigel |title=Miliband gives his backing to same-sex marriages |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/miliband-gives-his-backing-to-samesex-marriages-7537781.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=6 March 2012 |accessdate=9 May 2012 |archivedate=7 March 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307044640/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/miliband-gives-his-backing-to-samesex-marriages-7537781.html |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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In June 2014, while speaking to the [[Labour Friends of Israel]], Miliband stated that if he became Prime Minister he would seek "closer ties" with Israel and opposed the boycott of Israeli goods, saying that he would "resolutely oppose the isolation of Israel" and that nobody in the Labour Party should question Israel's right to exist.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Piggott |first=Mark |date=17 June 2014 |title=Miliband Pledges Closer Ties to Israel if he Leads New Labour Government |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/miliband-pledges-closer-ties-israel-if-he-leads-new-labour-government-1453099 |work=[[International Business Times UK]] |accessdate=18 June 2014 |archivedate=14 July 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714190144/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/miliband-pledges-closer-ties-israel-if-he-leads-new-labour-government-1453099 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rocker |first1=Simon |title= Miliband warms the hearts of the Labour Friends [of Israel] |url= http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/119916/miliband-warms-hearts-labour-friends |work=The Jewish Chronicle |accessdate=23 December 2014 |location= London |quote=[Ed Miliband] was applauded for his anti-boycott commitment – "we will resolutely oppose the isolation of Israel," he said – and for his assertion that no one in his party should question Israel's right to exist.}}</ref> He also stated that as a Jew and a friend of Israel, he must also criticise Israel when necessary, opposing the "killing of innocent Palestinian civilians" and calling [[Hamas]] a terrorist organisation.<ref>Castle, Stephen (23 October 2014). [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/24/world/europe/milibands-embrace-of-jewish-heritage-complicates-criticism-of-israel-.html "British Labour Chief, a Jew Who Criticizes Israel, Walks a Fine Line"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref> |
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===Comments on other politicians=== |
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[[File:Ed and Justine Miliband.jpg|thumb|left|Miliband with his wife [[Justine Thornton|Justine]] at the 2011 Labour Party Conference]] |
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During his time as Labour leader, Miliband criticised then-[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Leader]] and Prime Minister David Cameron for "sacrificing everything on the altar of deficit reduction", and has accused him of being guilty of practising "old politics", citing alleged broken promises on areas such as crime, policing, bank bonuses, and child benefit.<ref name=http>{{cite news |
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|date=13 December 2010 |
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|title=Ed Miliband asks Lib Dems to help draw up Labour policy |
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|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214051952/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11981011 |
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}}</ref> |
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Miliband was also particularly critical of former [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat Leader]] and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg following the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement, accusing him of "betrayal" and of "selling-out" his party's voters. In 2010, he stated that he would demand Clegg's resignation as a precursor to any future Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition under his own leadership.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11016944 |work=BBC News |date=18 August 2010 |title=Ed Miliband 'won't work in coalition with Clegg' |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818193507/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11016944 |archivedate=18 August 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> In the [[United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum, 2011|2011 Alternative Vote referendum]] campaign he refused to share a platform with Clegg, stating that he had become "too toxic" a brand and that he would harm the "Yes to AV" campaign. He shared platforms during the campaign with former Liberal Democrat Leaders [[Paddy Ashdown|Lord Ashdown]] and [[Charles Kennedy]], Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader [[Simon Hughes]], the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party Leader]] [[Caroline Lucas]] and [[Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills|Business Secretary]] [[Vince Cable]], among others.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=6 February 2011 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/feb/06/ed-miliband-nick-clegg-av |first1=Patrick |last1=Wintour |first2=Nicholas |last2=Watt |title=Ed Miliband cool on sharing AV campaign platform with Nick Clegg |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208130610/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/feb/06/ed-miliband-nick-clegg-av |archivedate=8 February 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> As Labour leader, Miliband made speeches aimed at winning over disaffected Liberal Democrats, identifying a difference between the "[[The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism|Orange Book]]" Lib Dems, who were closer to the Conservatives, and Lib Dems on the centre-left, offering the latter a role in helping Labour's policy review at that time.<ref name=http/> |
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Following the death of former Prime Minister and Conservative Leader [[Margaret Thatcher]] in 2013, Miliband spoke in a House of Commons sitting specially convened to pay tributes to her. He noted that, although he disagreed with a few of her policies, he respected "what her death means to the many, many people who admired her". He also said that Thatcher "broke the mould" in everything she had achieved in her life, and that she had had the ability to "overcome every obstacle in her path".<ref>{{cite news|date=10 April 2013 |accessdate=10 April 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2013/apr/10/cameron-miliband-tribute-thatcher-video |title=David Cameron and Ed Miliband pay tribute to Baroness Thatcher |location=London |newspaper=The Guardian |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411053750/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2013/apr/10/cameron-miliband-tribute-thatcher-video |archivedate=11 April 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> He had previously praised Thatcher shortly before the Labour Party Conference in September 2012 for creating an "era of aspiration" in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ross |first=Tim |title=Ed Miliband: it's good to be rich 'if you make it the hard way' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/9544538/Ed-Miliband-its-good-to-be-rich-if-you-make-it-the-hard-way.html |accessdate=22 December 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=14 September 2012 |archivedate=14 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914235059/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/9544538/Ed-Miliband-its-good-to-be-rich-if-you-make-it-the-hard-way.html |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband has previously spoken positively of his brother David, praising his record as [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]], and saying that "his door was always open" following David's decision not to stand for the [[Shadow Cabinet (UK)|Shadow Cabinet]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11432762 |title=David Miliband says he won't join brother Ed's team |work=BBC News Online |date=29 September 2010 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929043734/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11432762 |archivedate=29 September 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> Upon David's announcement in 2013 that he would resign as a Labour MP and move to New York to head the [[International Rescue Committee]], Miliband said that British politics would be "a poorer place" without him, and that he thought David "would once again make a contribution to British public life."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/mar/27/ed-miliband-poorer-place-david |newspaper=The Guardian |title=Ed Miliband: British politics will be a poorer place without David |location=London |last=Watt |first=Nicholas |author2=Meikle, James |date=27 March 2013 |accessdate=27 March 2013 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/27/ed-miliband-poorer-place-david |archivedate=30 June 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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When asked to choose the greatest British Prime Minister, Miliband answered with Labour's post-war Prime Minister and longest-serving Leader, [[Clement Attlee]].<ref>{{cite news|date=15 June 2010 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8742092.stm |title=As it happened: Newsnight Labour leader hustings |publisher=BBC News |first=Emma |last=Griffiths |archivedate=18 June 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618040957/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8742092.stm |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> He has also spoken positively of his two immediate predecessors as Labour leader, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, praising their leadership and records in government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11426411 |title=Ed Miliband: Labour leader's 2010 conference speech in full |publisher=BBC News Online |date=28 September 2010 |accessdate=15 July 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930074509/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11426411 |archivedate=30 September 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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===Media portrayal=== |
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Miliband was portrayed during Labour's 2015 election campaign as being genuine in his desire to improve the lives of working people and to display progression from [[New Labour]], but was unable to defeat interpretations of him as being ineffectual, or even cartoonish in nature.{{Citation needed|date=October 2016}} Political illustrators perceived a resemblance to Wallace of the British animation [[Wallace and Gromit]] and greatly exaggerated this in caricatures; various images circulated in the press and online media of Miliband performing day-to-day activities such as [[Ed Miliband bacon sandwich photograph|eating a sandwich]], donating money to a beggar, and giving a kiss to his wife, all while displaying apparently awkward facial expressions.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} In a March 2015 ''[[Newsnight]]'' election debate, he was challenged by [[Jeremy Paxman]] as to whether or not he was 'tough enough' to be Prime Minister, famously responding, "Hell yes, I'm tough enough", in reference to his reluctance to support air strikes against extremist targets in Syria.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32080184|title=Analysis: 'Hell yes, I'm tough enough to be PM'|work=BBC News}}</ref> |
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==Personal life== |
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Miliband is married to [[Justine Thornton]], a [[barrister]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/8541202/Ed-Miliband-weds-Justine-Thornton-in-civil-ceremony.html |title=Ed Miliband weds Justine Thornton in civil ceremony |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=27 May 2011 |accessdate=19 April 2012 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530002314/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/8541202/Ed-Miliband-weds-Justine-Thornton-in-civil-ceremony.html |archivedate=30 May 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref> The couple met in 2002 and lived together in [[north London]] before becoming engaged in March 2010 and wed in May 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/battle-for-survival-at-no-10-mandelson-key-to-defeat-of-rebels-1698754.html |title=Battle for survival at No 10: Mandelson key to defeat of rebels |first1=Brian |last1=Brady |first2=Jane |last2=Merrick |newspaper=[[The Independent on Sunday]] |date=7 June 2009 |accessdate=26 October 2010 |location=London |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611032036/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/battle-for-survival-at-no-10-mandelson-key-to-defeat-of-rebels-1698754.html |archivedate=11 June 2009 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=29 September 2010 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11433642 |work=BBC News |title=Ed Miliband 'will marry' but politics 'got in the way' |accessdate=26 October 2010 |archivedate=30 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930043523/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11433642 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/may/27/ed-miliband-wedding-day-private|title=Ed Miliband wedding day – a very private affair}}</ref> They have two sons, Daniel, born 2009, and Samuel, born 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11708382 |title=Ed Miliband's partner Justine gives birth to second son |date=8 November 2010 |accessdate=9 November 2010 |work=BBC News Online |archivedate=30 June 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11708382 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11718936 |title=Ed Miliband's new baby boy is named Samuel |work=BBC News Online |date=9 November 2010 |accessdate=18 December 2012 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112044235/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11718936 |archivedate=12 November 2010 |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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Miliband is of [[Jews|Jewish]] heritage — the first Jewish leader of the Labour Party<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/38701/ed-miliband-labours-first-jewish-leader |title=Ed Miliband is Labour's first Jewish leader |author=Jennifer Lipman |newspaper=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |date=26 September 2010 |accessdate=20 November 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928230259/http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/38701/ed-miliband-labours-first-jewish-leader |archivedate=28 September 2010 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/im-jewish-ed-miliband-is-jewish-were-all-jewish-so-maybe-britain-is-one-nation-after-all-8199966.html |title=I'm Jewish. Ed Miliband is Jewish. We're all Jewish. So maybe Britain is One Nation, after all |author=Howard Jacobson |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=5 October 2012 |accessdate=20 November 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008002009/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/im-jewish-ed-miliband-is-jewish-were-all-jewish-so-maybe-britain-is-one-nation-after-all-8199966.html |archivedate=8 October 2012 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref> — and describes himself as a [[Jewish atheism|Jewish atheist]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/10761625/Ed-Milibands-hope-to-be-Britains-first-Jewish-PM.html| newspaper=The Telegraph|title=Ed Miliband’s hope to be 'Britain’s first Jewish PM'|author=Steven Swinford|date= 12 April 2014|quote=I have a particular faith, I describe myself as a Jewish atheist. I'm Jewish by birth origin and it's part of who I am. I don't believe in God, but I think faith is a really important thing for a lot of people. It provides nourishment, a faith about how you [can] change the world.}}</ref><ref name="JC 2010" /> After marrying Thornton in a [[civil ceremony]] on 27 May 2011, he paid tribute to his Jewish heritage by following the tradition of [[Glass-breaking ceremony|breaking a glass]].<ref name=thejc>{{cite news|date=27 May 2011 |accessdate=2 June 2011 |url=http://thejc.com/news/uk-news/49610/mazel-tov-ed-miliband-marks-wedding-smashing-glass-0 |title=Mazel Tov: Ed Miliband marks wedding by smashing glass |last=Lippman |first=Jennifer |newspaper=''The Jewish Chronicle'' |location=London |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530002444/http://thejc.com/news/uk-news/49610/mazel-tov-ed-miliband-marks-wedding-smashing-glass-0 |archivedate=30 May 2011 |deadurl=no |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name=independent>{{cite news|last=Hall |first=Richard |author2=Sherwin, Adam |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/the-other-wedding-of-the-century-2289104.html |title=The other wedding of the century? |newspaper=The Independent |accessdate=3 June 2011 |date=26 May 2011 |location=London |archivedate=30 June 2009 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/the-other-wedding-of-the-century-2289104.html |df=dmy }}</ref> In 2012, Miliband wrote, "Like many others from Holocaust families, I have a paradoxical relationship with this history. On one level I feel intimately connected with it – this happened to my parents and grandparents. On another, it feels like a totally different world."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics/2012/05/ed-miliband-patriotism-refugee |last=Miliband |first=Ed |title=Ed Miliband: the patriotism of a refugee |journal=New Statesman |date=23 May 2012 |accessdate=28 May 2012 |location=London |archivedate=23 May 2012 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523173332/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics/2012/05/ed-miliband-patriotism-refugee |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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==Styles== |
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*Mr. Edward Samuel Miliband (1969–2005) |
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*Mr. Edward Samuel Miliband [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] (2005–2007) |
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*[[The Right Honourable]] Edward Samuel Miliband MP (2007–present) |
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==Other works== |
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In June 2017, Miliband guest-presented [[Jeremy Vine]]'s [[BBC Radio 2]] show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08tv8l1|title=Ed Miliband sits in, Jeremy Vine - BBC Radio 2|website=BBC}}</ref> |
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Miliband co-hosts a popular [[podcast]], entitled ''Reasons to be Cheerful'', with radio presenter [[Geoff Lloyd]]. <ref>https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/09/ed-miliband-and-geoff-lloyd-start-a-podcast/</ref> In November 2017, Miliband and Lloyd appeared as joint guests on [[Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast]].<ref>{{cite web|title=RHLSTP 156 - Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/richard_herring_lst_podcast/|website=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=29 November 2017}}</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist|30em| refs = |
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<ref name="JC 2010">{{cite news |
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|last=Bright |
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|first=Martin |
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|date=4 November 2010 |
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|title=Ed Miliband: Hamas, Ken Livingstone and Jewish values |
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|newspaper=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |
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|location=London |
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|archive-date=30 June 2009 |
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|dead-url=no |
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/40603/ed-miliband-hamas-ken-livingstone-and-jewish-values |
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|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/40603/ed-miliband-hamas-ken-livingstone-and-jewish-values |
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|df=dmy |
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}}</ref> |
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}} |
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==Further reading== |
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*[[Mehdi Hasan|Hasan, Mehdi]], [[James Macintyre|Macintyre, James]] (2011) ''"Ed: The Milibands and the making of a Labour leader"'' Biteback, {{ISBN|1-84954-102-7}} |
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==External links== |
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{{Commons category|Ed Miliband}} |
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{{Wikiquote}} |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140202154332/http://www.labour.org.uk/ed_miliband Profile] at Labour.org.uk (archived) |
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*{{UK MP links|parliament=edward-miliband/1510|hansard=mr-ed-miliband|hansardcurr=4818|guardian=8711/ed-miliband|publicwhip=Edward_Miliband|theywork=edward_miliband|record=Ed-Miliband/Doncaster-North/729|bbc=40791.stm|journalisted=ed-miliband}} |
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*{{Guardian topic}} |
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*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/ Ed Miliband] collected news and commentary at ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' |
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*[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/24/world/europe/milibands-embrace-of-jewish-heritage-complicates-criticism-of-israel-.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news Jewish heritage] |
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Since resigning as Labour leader, Miliband has remained on the Backbencher|backbenches. |
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[[Category:Ed Miliband| ]] |
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[[Category:1969 births]] |
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Latest revision as of 15:27, 14 July 2018
| The Right Honourable Ed Miliband MP | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Previous-Leader of the Opposition | |
|
In office 25 September 2010 – 8 May 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Harriet Harman |
| Succeeded by | Harriet Harman |
| Previous-Leader of the Labour Party | |
|
In office 25 September 2010 – 8 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Gordon Brown |
| Succeeded by | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
|
In office 11 May 2010 – 8 October 2010 | |
| Leader | Harriet Harman |
| Preceded by | Greg Clark |
| Succeeded by | Meg Hillier |
| Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
|
In office 3 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Chris Huhne |
| Minister for the Cabinet Office Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
|
In office 28 June 2007 – 3 October 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Hilary Armstrong |
| Succeeded by | Liam Byrne |
| Minister for the Third Sector | |
|
In office 6 May 2006 – 28 June 2007 | |
| Prime Minister |
Tony Blair Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Phil Woolas |
| Succeeded by | Phil Hope |
| Member of Parliament for Doncaster North | |
|
Assumed office 5 May 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Kevin Hughes |
| Majority | 14,024 (33.2%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward Samuel Miliband 24 December 1969 |
Edward Samuel Miliband (born 24 December 1969) was Leader of the Labour Party as well as Leader of the Opposition between 2010 and 2015. He became the Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster North in 2005, being re-elected in 2010, 2015, and 2017], and served in the Cabinet from 2007-10 under Gordon Brown.
Parliament
In early 2005, Miliband resigned his advisory role to HM Treasury to stand for election. Kevin Hughes, then the Labour MP for Doncaster North, announced in February of that year that he would be standing down at the next election due to being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Miliband was elected on 5 May 2005, with 55.5% of the vote and a majority of 12,656.
Cabinet
On 28 June 2007 Miliband was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, being promoted to the cabinet.
On 3 October 2008, Miliband was promoted to become Secretary of State for the newly created Department of Energy and Climate Change in a cabinet reshuffle. On 16 October, Miliband announced that the British government would legislate to oblige itself to cut greenhouse emissions by 80% by 2050, rather than the 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions previously announced.
During the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal, Miliband was named by the Daily Telegraph as one of the "saints" of the scandal, due to his claiming one of the lowest amounts of expenses in the House of Commons and submitting no claims that later had to be paid back.
Leadership of the Labour Party
Leadership election
Following the formatio] of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government on 11 May 2010, Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party with immediate effect. On 14 May, Miliband announced that he would stand as a candidate in the forthcoming leadership election. He was nominated by 62 fellow Labour MPs.
Ed Miliband subsequently won the election, the result of which was announced on 25 September 2010, after second, third and fourth preferences votes were counted, achieving the support of 50.654% of the electoral college.
Leader of the Opposition
On 23 January 2013, Miliband stated that he was against holding a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union because of the economic uncertainty that it would create.
At the Labour conference in September 2013, Miliband highlighted his party's stance on the NHS and announced if elected Labour would abolish the bedroom tax. The conference included several 'signature' policies, such as strengthening the minimum wage, freezing business rates, building 200,000 houses a year, lowering the voting age to 16, and the provision of childcare by primary schools between 8am and 6pm. The policy that attracted the most attention was the commitment to help tackle the 'cost-of-living crisis' by freezing gas and electricity prices until 2017 to give time to 'reset the market' in favour of consumers.
In February 2015, Labour pledged to reverse the privatisation of the railways by getting rid of the franchising system.
Since resigning as Labour leader, Miliband has remained on the Backbencher|backbenches.