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Labour not down or out - Miliband MPs demand Miliband is sacked
(about 1 hour later)
Labour is "not down and out", despite its recent by-election defeat in Glasgow and poor poll ratings, Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said. Two Labour backbenchers have called for David Miliband to be sacked over an article which led to speculation he wanted to succeed Gordon Brown.
The party was "determined" to be clear about its values, and ensure a "real choice at the next election", he added. The foreign secretary had "overstepped the line", Geraldine Smith said, while fellow MP Bob Marshall-Andrews accused him of "duplicitous" behaviour.
Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine he was "not running a leadership campaign" against Gordon Brown. The Guardian article discussed Labour's future without mentioning Mr Brown.
But two Labour backbenchers want him to be sacked over an article which led to speculation he wanted to be leader. But Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show that he was "not running a leadership campaign".
'Overstepped' And he insisted Labour was "not down and out", despite last week's by-election defeat in Glasgow East and poor poll ratings.
Geraldine Smith said Mr Miliband was "trying to stir up trouble" with a piece in The Guardian talking about Labour's future which did not mention Mr Brown. If David Miliband was placed back on the backbenches, then I think he'd become the non-entity that he was before his accelerated promotion Geraldine SmithLabour MP The party was "determined" to be clear about its values, and ensure a "real choice at the next election", he added.
He had "overstepped the line", she told The World at One on BBC Radio 4. But Ms Smith, the MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said Mr Miliband had been "trying to stir up trouble".
And Bob Marshall-Andrews accused Mr Miliband of "pretty contemptible politics", adding his behaviour had been "duplicitous". "What has David Miliband ever achieved, apart from furthering his own career," she asked on BBC Radio 4's The World at One.
I think it's right that we say that, sure we've taken some hits, but actually we've got ideas about the future of the country David MilibandForeign secretary "I think he should sack him if he doesn't resign and mount a proper leadership challenge," he said. "If David Miliband was placed back on the backbenches, then I think he'd become the non-entity that he was before his accelerated promotion," she added.
'Quite deliberate'
Mr Marshall-Andrews, MP for Medway, accused Mr Miliband of "pretty contemptible politics" in his article.
"The complete and conspicuous absence of mention of the prime minister at this particular stage obviously conveys its own message.
I think it's right that we say that, sure we've taken some hits, but actually we've got ideas about the future of the country David MilibandForeign secretary
"It is a quite deliberate message but, as I say, it is a duplicitous message which is the worst possible kind of politics."
He went on: "I think [Mr Brown] should sack him if he doesn't resign and mount a proper leadership challenge."
But the foreign secretary insisted the article had been intended as a challenge to Conservative leader David Cameron rather than to the prime minister.But the foreign secretary insisted the article had been intended as a challenge to Conservative leader David Cameron rather than to the prime minister.
And he said the worst thing for his party would be "if we all went mute" at present.And he said the worst thing for his party would be "if we all went mute" at present.
"I think it's right that we say that, sure we've taken some hits, but actually we've got ideas about the future of the country. We do want to engage with people," Mr Miliband said."I think it's right that we say that, sure we've taken some hits, but actually we've got ideas about the future of the country. We do want to engage with people," Mr Miliband said.
Asked if he wanted to become prime minister one day, he replied: "I always say, 'Focus on the job you've got.' Mr Miliband signed and altered a Daily Telegraph headline after his interviewAsked if he wanted to become prime minister one day, he replied: "I always say, 'Focus on the job you've got.'
"Do the day job well. If you worry about your next job, you're not going to do the current job [properly].""Do the day job well. If you worry about your next job, you're not going to do the current job [properly]."
'Dose of salt'
Many of Thursday's newspapers claimed Mr Brown's allies were angry at Mr Miliband for perceived disloyalty, although these reports were attributed to unidentified sources within Labour.Many of Thursday's newspapers claimed Mr Brown's allies were angry at Mr Miliband for perceived disloyalty, although these reports were attributed to unidentified sources within Labour.
But Mr Miliband insisted he always took anonymous quotes "with a very large dose of salt".But Mr Miliband insisted he always took anonymous quotes "with a very large dose of salt".
Former minister Denis MacShane called for an end to such off-the-record briefings against the foreign secretary, saying these risked harming Britain's standing in the world. Ex-minister Denis MacShane called for an end to such off-the-record briefings against the foreign secretary, saying these risked harming Britain's standing in the world.
"The national interest is now being damaged by these anonymous attacks on Miliband and they should stop now," he said."The national interest is now being damaged by these anonymous attacks on Miliband and they should stop now," he said.
'Stand up'
After being played Ms Smith's remarks, Mr Miliband said he "respected" her because she had "put her name" to her comments, rather than staying anonymous.
But he replied it was important that senior Labour figures "stand up for ourselves" to counter criticism that their party was not fit to govern.
On Tuesday, Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, insisted she was "not preparing the ground for a leadership election" and said she did not accept Mr Brown's spell as leader was "over".On Tuesday, Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, insisted she was "not preparing the ground for a leadership election" and said she did not accept Mr Brown's spell as leader was "over".
'Ultimate test' The way forward was "bold Labour", not "old Labour", Mr Lewis saidHealth minister Ivan Lewis said Labour must avoid being too "timid" if it was to win the next election.
Meanwhile Labour must avoid being too "timid" if it is to win the next election, Health Minister Ivan Lewis has said.
He called on Mr Brown to be a "decisive" leader, saying that "the only way forward now is bold Labour".He called on Mr Brown to be a "decisive" leader, saying that "the only way forward now is bold Labour".
Voters needed reassurance that Labour was "on their side", the MP for Bury South told The Independent.Voters needed reassurance that Labour was "on their side", the MP for Bury South told The Independent.
The way forward was "bold Labour", not "old Labour", Mr Lewis saidIn an interview with the Independent, Mr Lewis said the measure of any political party was revealed "in the bad time and not the good time". He said the measure of any political party was revealed "in the bad time and not the good time".
"We now face the ultimate test. People have a decision to make. But there's one thing that's absolutely clear - it's that the public don't vote for divided parties.""We now face the ultimate test. People have a decision to make. But there's one thing that's absolutely clear - it's that the public don't vote for divided parties."
He said he expected Labour to win the next election, which must take place by May 2010, adding his party had "got to believe" this was possible. And Mr Lewis added that his party's defeat in Glasgow East, where the Scottish National Party overturned Labour's majority of 13,507, "confirmed my view that timidity and incremental change will not deal with the way people feel right now".
"If we don't believe that we can still win, how do we expect the electorate to believe that?"
And Mr Lewis added that his party's defeat in Glasgow East last week "confirmed my view that timidity and incremental change will not deal with the way people feel right now".
The Scottish National Party overturned a majority of 13,507 to win a seat previously considered to be one of Labour's safest with a swing of nearly 23%.