If I were David Miliband, I'd have made the same decision he has today. Not from any sense of pride, but for other reasons.
The way David was knifed in the back by his brother, particularly in the way Iraq was dredged up over and over by the Ed Miliband team to attack his brother David was a low tactic. Anyone who believes Ed miliband would have acted any differently from David had Ed been in parliament in 2003 is surely living on a different planet. For Ed Miliband too to decry the last government, a government he was a minister in and one in which his brother was a leading light, stunk too.
To rip off a quote made about MacMillan, "No greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down his brother for his own advancement"
Whilst I don't think it wrong that Ed stood against David, for Ed's team to attack David's decisions and record seems reprehensible.
Showing posts with label David Miliband. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Miliband. Show all posts
9/29/2010
9/27/2010
Whilst we might all feel happy in our casual clothes ...
I like a pair of jeans and a football top. I admit it. It's a fair cop. To me there is nothing more comfortable than jeans, my Adidas Samba trainers and a football shirt in which to potter around the house or, as I did for three years at University, to go out in or attend lectures. In short, I think most people feel more comfortable in their casual clothes.
What's this got to do with politics ? Stick with it and you'll find out.
In direct contrast to the football top, trainers and jeans, I sometimes have to wear a suit for important council meetings, very occasionally for work, or for a wedding. When I am putting it on, I don't feel that comfortable. I feel a bit awkward, in short, I prefer my jeans and football shirt. But when I've got it on, and pass a mirror, I take a sideways look and think to myself, hey, I'd but a car from that man !
Now call me vain, but I don't think I am much different to anyone else. Looking smart is less comfortable, but actually pays dividends in terms of the image you give, and the way you feel about yourself.
So what has this to do with politics ?
Looking at the Labour leadership, Labour appear to have gone for the jeans and football shirt. Ed Miliband is comfortable. He re-assures the Labour party that they still might be left wing. He allows them to forget Tony Blair and New Labour, he is in many ways, despite starting from some way back, the easy option.
David Miliband is, however, the smart suit. It feels less comfortable initially, but when you've got it on, people look at you and listen. Yes, it might feel a bit less relaxed, but it's impressive and people will nod at you in appreciated for the effort you've made. That is exactly what David Miliband is. He is the smart suit.
Watching the Milibands on TV today, one oozed class and sophisticated, one sounded nasal and looked like his clothes didn't fit.
Yes, it's a long analogy, but at the end of the day, the electorate don't want to vote for the jeans and football shirt. They want a suit, and the sharper and more made to measure the suit, the better. This was show in the period up to election day this May when Cameron, the sharp suit, was for some years taking the "sharp suit" vote until people suddenly saw Nick Clegg, the new sharp suit in town, and suddenly, irrespective of what he was actually saying, people were impressed. Yes, the Nick Clegg effect wore off to some extent, but it save the Lib Dems from a mauling and got Nick Clegg in to government.
Look too at Brown compared to Blair. Was Brown any worse ? No. Was he any less of an ego than Blair ? No. But his suits appeared not to fit, and he was the easy option for Labour, the only option for Labour. Brown was the pair of jeans and the football top.
I think Labour have made a dreadful mistake. Despite my natural antipathy to Labour, David Miliband, the smart suit, impresses me and other I know. Ed Miliband, the jeans, does not.
It doesn't matter how much money you spend on jeans, they are still jeans.
If you read all this, thanks for sticking with me.
What's this got to do with politics ? Stick with it and you'll find out.
In direct contrast to the football top, trainers and jeans, I sometimes have to wear a suit for important council meetings, very occasionally for work, or for a wedding. When I am putting it on, I don't feel that comfortable. I feel a bit awkward, in short, I prefer my jeans and football shirt. But when I've got it on, and pass a mirror, I take a sideways look and think to myself, hey, I'd but a car from that man !
Now call me vain, but I don't think I am much different to anyone else. Looking smart is less comfortable, but actually pays dividends in terms of the image you give, and the way you feel about yourself.
So what has this to do with politics ?
Looking at the Labour leadership, Labour appear to have gone for the jeans and football shirt. Ed Miliband is comfortable. He re-assures the Labour party that they still might be left wing. He allows them to forget Tony Blair and New Labour, he is in many ways, despite starting from some way back, the easy option.
David Miliband is, however, the smart suit. It feels less comfortable initially, but when you've got it on, people look at you and listen. Yes, it might feel a bit less relaxed, but it's impressive and people will nod at you in appreciated for the effort you've made. That is exactly what David Miliband is. He is the smart suit.
Watching the Milibands on TV today, one oozed class and sophisticated, one sounded nasal and looked like his clothes didn't fit.
Yes, it's a long analogy, but at the end of the day, the electorate don't want to vote for the jeans and football shirt. They want a suit, and the sharper and more made to measure the suit, the better. This was show in the period up to election day this May when Cameron, the sharp suit, was for some years taking the "sharp suit" vote until people suddenly saw Nick Clegg, the new sharp suit in town, and suddenly, irrespective of what he was actually saying, people were impressed. Yes, the Nick Clegg effect wore off to some extent, but it save the Lib Dems from a mauling and got Nick Clegg in to government.
Look too at Brown compared to Blair. Was Brown any worse ? No. Was he any less of an ego than Blair ? No. But his suits appeared not to fit, and he was the easy option for Labour, the only option for Labour. Brown was the pair of jeans and the football top.
I think Labour have made a dreadful mistake. Despite my natural antipathy to Labour, David Miliband, the smart suit, impresses me and other I know. Ed Miliband, the jeans, does not.
It doesn't matter how much money you spend on jeans, they are still jeans.
If you read all this, thanks for sticking with me.
1/17/2009
The hypocrisy of our Foreign Secretary
The Indian government has taken great umbrage at David Miliband linking terrorism in Mumbai with India's continued problems in Indian controlled Kashmir.
It does seem odd that India cannot see that what happens in Kashmir is a continual recruitment banner for any Islamist who wants to radicalise younger Muslims or who wants to hang their hatred of India on to something tangible. Anyone who cannot see this is blind to the problem and will never solve it.
The odd thing though is that Miliband is part of the same government who cannot see a linkage between growing radicalisation of Muslim youths in Britain and the invasion of Iraq ? Utter hypocrisy from Labour and Mr Miliband yet again.
We cannot go around lecturing others on problems and solutions whilst we choose to ignore the lessons we are giving others. It seems that wee are too keen to act like an old colonial power who knows best rather than a modern country that has learned from its own mistakes.
It does seem odd that India cannot see that what happens in Kashmir is a continual recruitment banner for any Islamist who wants to radicalise younger Muslims or who wants to hang their hatred of India on to something tangible. Anyone who cannot see this is blind to the problem and will never solve it.
The odd thing though is that Miliband is part of the same government who cannot see a linkage between growing radicalisation of Muslim youths in Britain and the invasion of Iraq ? Utter hypocrisy from Labour and Mr Miliband yet again.
We cannot go around lecturing others on problems and solutions whilst we choose to ignore the lessons we are giving others. It seems that wee are too keen to act like an old colonial power who knows best rather than a modern country that has learned from its own mistakes.
11/02/2008
The trap all those BBC haters want the BBC to get stuck in
Lets be clear before we start. The Daily Mail's long term goal, along with many of their Tory allies, is to see the BBC become a commercial broadcaster, or better still, to be so restrained and neutralised that it can no longer be the force in broadcasting that it is.
The main reason for the Tory/Daily Mail obsessions comes down to that old problem that capitalist obsessives have. If it does not make a profit, if it does not have shares and shareholders then they don't like it. Never mind the quality, forget that the BBC lays down a standard by which other broadcasters judge themselves, indeed ignore the fact that the rest of the world looks to the BBC as an example, in basic terms it does not produce dividends so the capitalist right wing loathe it.
Now the best way for the BBC to justify its existence is to ensure that they have high viewing figures, popular shows, relevant content, and hit shows. In order to do this the BBC needs to invest lots of money in facilities, creative people and top presenters. But this is where the problems start. If the BBC pays too much for top stars, they are criticised by the Tories/Daily Mail. But as soon as the BBC fails to have top shows, lacks the stars to get viewers watching you know that the Daily Mail will be the very first to jump in and demand the axing of the licence fee because the BBC no longer has any top stars that anyone wants to watch.
And what would happen if Tory plans are introduced to clip the wings of the BBC ? Would we be better off ? I pay £50 a month to SKY tv, yet my BBC license fee costs me less than three months of what I pay to SKY. Which one would I be prepared to cut back on ? Not the BBC, I can tell you. But if the BBC is cut back, if its ability to launch services like Freesat and Freeview and a whole raft of digital TV and radio channels is reduced then more people will have to turn to SKY. Will we be better off for possibly cutting £20 off our license fee ? Of course not. The only winner will be Rupert Murdoch, a media baron that the Tories are desperate to get back onside. Does it all start to make sense now ?
The sad thing is that some will never realise how good the BBC is until it is ruined, broken or gone, and then it will be too late. But don't worry, we'll have 57 channels showing US TV shows and another 13 showing "animals do the funniest things".
The main reason for the Tory/Daily Mail obsessions comes down to that old problem that capitalist obsessives have. If it does not make a profit, if it does not have shares and shareholders then they don't like it. Never mind the quality, forget that the BBC lays down a standard by which other broadcasters judge themselves, indeed ignore the fact that the rest of the world looks to the BBC as an example, in basic terms it does not produce dividends so the capitalist right wing loathe it.
Now the best way for the BBC to justify its existence is to ensure that they have high viewing figures, popular shows, relevant content, and hit shows. In order to do this the BBC needs to invest lots of money in facilities, creative people and top presenters. But this is where the problems start. If the BBC pays too much for top stars, they are criticised by the Tories/Daily Mail. But as soon as the BBC fails to have top shows, lacks the stars to get viewers watching you know that the Daily Mail will be the very first to jump in and demand the axing of the licence fee because the BBC no longer has any top stars that anyone wants to watch.
And what would happen if Tory plans are introduced to clip the wings of the BBC ? Would we be better off ? I pay £50 a month to SKY tv, yet my BBC license fee costs me less than three months of what I pay to SKY. Which one would I be prepared to cut back on ? Not the BBC, I can tell you. But if the BBC is cut back, if its ability to launch services like Freesat and Freeview and a whole raft of digital TV and radio channels is reduced then more people will have to turn to SKY. Will we be better off for possibly cutting £20 off our license fee ? Of course not. The only winner will be Rupert Murdoch, a media baron that the Tories are desperate to get back onside. Does it all start to make sense now ?
The sad thing is that some will never realise how good the BBC is until it is ruined, broken or gone, and then it will be too late. But don't worry, we'll have 57 channels showing US TV shows and another 13 showing "animals do the funniest things".
5/31/2008
Prescott comes out for David Miliband
John Prescott may not always appear to be the most up to date man in the world and seems liek some sort of political dinosaur, but he has always had his finger on the pulse of the Labour Party, and by that I mean Labour and not "New Labour". This was shown in 1992 /1993 when he really pushed the Labour Party to start reforming itself under John Smith and from 1994 onwards under Tony Blair too. So when John Prescott starts haling David Miliband as a great future leader, he does know what he is on about.
Now that someone has come out for Miliband in such strong terms, how long will it be before others start doing so too. Prescott has shown himself to be utterly loyal in the past, and he does clearly refer to Miliband as a great "future" leader, but I wonder if this is a sign that Prescott knows the mood of the party and knows it is in no mood to put up with two more years under Brown waiting to lose an election.
Now that someone has come out for Miliband in such strong terms, how long will it be before others start doing so too. Prescott has shown himself to be utterly loyal in the past, and he does clearly refer to Miliband as a great "future" leader, but I wonder if this is a sign that Prescott knows the mood of the party and knows it is in no mood to put up with two more years under Brown waiting to lose an election.
11/18/2007
I know we are pleased that Israel beat Russia, but this is ridiculous !
I guess it shows the government's obsession with Sport that in the wake of Israel beating Russia, thus opening the door for England to still qualify for Euro 2008, we send the foreign minister to Israel for talks.
Couldn't we just have sent them an e-mail thanking them ? Sending them David Miliband is more likely to make them wish they had lost to Russia .
Couldn't we just have sent them an e-mail thanking them ? Sending them David Miliband is more likely to make them wish they had lost to Russia .
11/16/2007
European Union must expand beyond Europe - Confused ?
The government are quick to attack and blame teachers for the inability of people to learn things at school. However, I feel someone should hold their hands up and admit they taught David Miliband geography.
You see, the Foreign Secretary wants the European Union (and I should stress the key word here is European) to expand beyond Europe. Get it ? I don't think I do.
Whatever next. Will David Miliband be proposing that The Northern Hemisphere be expanded to include the Southern Hemisphere ? Perhaps England could become part of South America for football qualification purposes. Alternatively why not suggest that East Anglia should include Truro ?
I guess it makes a change from the Tories suggesting we should become the 51st State of America.
You see, the Foreign Secretary wants the European Union (and I should stress the key word here is European) to expand beyond Europe. Get it ? I don't think I do.
Whatever next. Will David Miliband be proposing that The Northern Hemisphere be expanded to include the Southern Hemisphere ? Perhaps England could become part of South America for football qualification purposes. Alternatively why not suggest that East Anglia should include Truro ?
I guess it makes a change from the Tories suggesting we should become the 51st State of America.
10/12/2007
Why do you never see David Miliband and Michael Portillo in the same room ?
Perhaps it is just me, but isn't there something spookily similar about David Miliband and Michael Portillo ? I wondered at first if the Labour Minister was Portillo's love child ?
3/31/2007
Brown camp now fearing Miliband ?
Margaret Becket is the latest senior Labour Minister to urge David Miliband not to stand in as many days. Since standing is only part of the democratic process, what harm can it do to Miliband or Brown if he does stand ?
The truth seems to be that some Labour MP's are starting to wise up to the fact that a brown government may not see them win the election and whilst senior ministers who have nailed their colours to the Brown mast probably have safer seats and are less concerned about their jobs labour backbenchers want an alternative to Brown.
The truth seems to be that some Labour MP's are starting to wise up to the fact that a brown government may not see them win the election and whilst senior ministers who have nailed their colours to the Brown mast probably have safer seats and are less concerned about their jobs labour backbenchers want an alternative to Brown.
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