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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Miliband 'Heseltine moment' fear | Miliband 'Heseltine moment' fear |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| David Miliband has been overheard telling aides that he toned down his speech to Labour's conference to avoid it being seen as "a Heseltine moment". | David Miliband has been overheard telling aides that he toned down his speech to Labour's conference to avoid it being seen as "a Heseltine moment". |
| The foreign secretary, tipped by some as a future leader, was discussing his speech with staff who told him that it was being given six marks out of 10. | |
| He was heard to reply: "I couldn't have gone any further. It would have been a Heseltine moment." | He was heard to reply: "I couldn't have gone any further. It would have been a Heseltine moment." |
| A spokeswoman for Mr Miliband said she had no comment on the BBC story. | A spokeswoman for Mr Miliband said she had no comment on the BBC story. |
| There has been persistent speculation about Mr Miliband's intentions after he wrote a newspaper article in July discussing Labour's future without mentioning Mr Brown. | There has been persistent speculation about Mr Miliband's intentions after he wrote a newspaper article in July discussing Labour's future without mentioning Mr Brown. |
| No, you are right. You went as far as you could. That was what the party needed to hear Miliband aide | No, you are right. You went as far as you could. That was what the party needed to hear Miliband aide |
| During his speech he urged optimism and said the Conservatives were "beatable". He praised Gordon Brown twice for past achievements and spoke of the need for "leadership from the party of change". | During his speech he urged optimism and said the Conservatives were "beatable". He praised Gordon Brown twice for past achievements and spoke of the need for "leadership from the party of change". |
| He was overheard making his comments later - an apparent reference to one of the occasions Michael Heseltine challenged the leadership of Margaret Thatcher. | He was overheard making his comments later - an apparent reference to one of the occasions Michael Heseltine challenged the leadership of Margaret Thatcher. |
| His aide replied: "No, you are right. You went as far as you could. That was what the party needed to hear." | His aide replied: "No, you are right. You went as far as you could. That was what the party needed to hear." |
| 'Pull together' | 'Pull together' |
| Mr Miliband has said he is not running a leadership campaign. On Sunday he blamed the media for stirring up dissent and denied the party was "disunited". | Mr Miliband has said he is not running a leadership campaign. On Sunday he blamed the media for stirring up dissent and denied the party was "disunited". |
| Invited to kill off the speculation about his leadership ambitions, he told a meeting hosted by the BBC: "We have been through this several times and I keep on saying the same thing. | Invited to kill off the speculation about his leadership ambitions, he told a meeting hosted by the BBC: "We have been through this several times and I keep on saying the same thing. |
| "I don't support a leadership election, the party needs to pull together, we need to pull together behind Gordon's leadership, we are determined to do so." | "I don't support a leadership election, the party needs to pull together, we need to pull together behind Gordon's leadership, we are determined to do so." |
| But, after he wrote the article in July, some MPs urged Mr Brown to sack him from the cabinet, saying he had "overstepped the line". | But, after he wrote the article in July, some MPs urged Mr Brown to sack him from the cabinet, saying he had "overstepped the line". |
| In recent weeks a string of rebel Labour MPs have publicly called for a leadership challenge - one minister has stepped down. It follows disappointing poll results for Labour and by-election losses in Crewe and Nantwich and Glasgow East. | In recent weeks a string of rebel Labour MPs have publicly called for a leadership challenge - one minister has stepped down. It follows disappointing poll results for Labour and by-election losses in Crewe and Nantwich and Glasgow East. |