This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/22/ed-miliband-gordon-brown-damian-mcbride

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ed Miliband says he urged Gordon Brown to sack Damian McBride Ed Miliband says he urged Gordon Brown to sack Damian McBride
(about 2 hours later)
Ed Miliband has confirmed that he advised Gordon Brown to sack Damian McBride because of the factional way in which he briefed against ministerial colleagues.Ed Miliband has confirmed that he advised Gordon Brown to sack Damian McBride because of the factional way in which he briefed against ministerial colleagues.
The Labour leader drew a contrast with Brown's abrasive former press secretary as he said he had gone out of his way to move on from "the practices of the past" as he worked to ensure he ran a united party.The Labour leader drew a contrast with Brown's abrasive former press secretary as he said he had gone out of his way to move on from "the practices of the past" as he worked to ensure he ran a united party.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, Miliband joked that he could never have been part of the "macho" group around Brown.Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, Miliband joked that he could never have been part of the "macho" group around Brown.
Asked about the claim by Ed Balls that the Labour party became too macho under Brown and Tony Blair in the 1990s, he laughed as he replied: "I'm not sure I've ever been accused of being macho. I think that is a first. I will take that away. I think there are definitely lessons to be learned from the past."Asked about the claim by Ed Balls that the Labour party became too macho under Brown and Tony Blair in the 1990s, he laughed as he replied: "I'm not sure I've ever been accused of being macho. I think that is a first. I will take that away. I think there are definitely lessons to be learned from the past."
In his main television interview of the Labour conference, Miliband dismissed recent poor opinion polls as he said he would be focusing on the increasing costs of living. "Polls go up and down – one thing goes up and up is the cost of living for ordinary families," he said after a new YouGov/Sunday Times poll found that only 17% of respondents thought he was up to the job of prime minister.In his main television interview of the Labour conference, Miliband dismissed recent poor opinion polls as he said he would be focusing on the increasing costs of living. "Polls go up and down – one thing goes up and up is the cost of living for ordinary families," he said after a new YouGov/Sunday Times poll found that only 17% of respondents thought he was up to the job of prime minister.
Miliband, who announced overnight that he would review the level of the minimum wage and also make companies who hire a skilled worker from outside the EU train a UK apprentice in return, also: Miliband, who announced overnight that he would review the level of the minimum wage and make companies who hire a skilled worker from outside the EU train a UK apprentice in return, also:
• Launched a strong attack on Nick Clegg for propping up the Tories in government. "I really hate what he is doing with this government. I hate the way he is an accomplice for what has happened in this government in the last three years on the health service, on taxation, on benefits, on a whole range of things."• Launched a strong attack on Nick Clegg for propping up the Tories in government. "I really hate what he is doing with this government. I hate the way he is an accomplice for what has happened in this government in the last three years on the health service, on taxation, on benefits, on a whole range of things."
• Ruled out making an early commitment to hold an in-out referendum on British membership of the EU, but left open the possibility of changing his stance before the election. "We set out a very, very clear position on this but we will set out our position at the election," he said.• Ruled out making an early commitment to hold an in-out referendum on British membership of the EU, but left open the possibility of changing his stance before the election. "We set out a very, very clear position on this but we will set out our position at the election," he said.
• Pledged to stop building any more free schools and to prevent existing ones from expanding. But he said he would not close "good schools".• Pledged to stop building any more free schools and to prevent existing ones from expanding. But he said he would not close "good schools".
But Miliband also faced questions about the revelations in the memoirs by McBride, who served as Brown's press secretary in the Treasury and in Downing Street. McBride has admitted spreading damaging stories against Labour ministers who appeared to challenge Brown.But Miliband also faced questions about the revelations in the memoirs by McBride, who served as Brown's press secretary in the Treasury and in Downing Street. McBride has admitted spreading damaging stories against Labour ministers who appeared to challenge Brown.
The Labour leader said of the McBride memoirs: "It is a reminder that we must have no factions and no briefing in the Labour party. That is my absolute position.The Labour leader said of the McBride memoirs: "It is a reminder that we must have no factions and no briefing in the Labour party. That is my absolute position.
"Day one, when I became leader, I said that. Whatever views people have, I think people appreciate that the way I run my party is on the basis of a unified party, not a disunited party, and a party that doesn't engage in all those practices of the past.""Day one, when I became leader, I said that. Whatever views people have, I think people appreciate that the way I run my party is on the basis of a unified party, not a disunited party, and a party that doesn't engage in all those practices of the past."
Asked by Marr whether he had advised Brown to remove McBride, he said: "I did."Asked by Marr whether he had advised Brown to remove McBride, he said: "I did."
The Labour leader said that he told the Leveson inquiry of his concerns about McBride. He said: "I went to the Leveson inquiry and was asked about this and I said – and it is a matter of public record – I was concerned about the activities of Damian McBride and indeed I complained to Gordon Brown.The Labour leader said that he told the Leveson inquiry of his concerns about McBride. He said: "I went to the Leveson inquiry and was asked about this and I said – and it is a matter of public record – I was concerned about the activities of Damian McBride and indeed I complained to Gordon Brown.
"I was worried that there were indications that he was briefing against colleagues and I didn't think that was the way politics should be practised. It was more people tell you these sorts of things are going on and you have enough suspicion that they are. That was something I made clear to Gordon. I thought it was damaging to the Labour party.""I was worried that there were indications that he was briefing against colleagues and I didn't think that was the way politics should be practised. It was more people tell you these sorts of things are going on and you have enough suspicion that they are. That was something I made clear to Gordon. I thought it was damaging to the Labour party."
Miliband is focusing the Labour conference on the crisis of the growing costs of living after figures showed that in 37 of the 38 months the coalition has been in office inflation has outstripped pay rises. He said: "For generations in this country when the economy grew the majority of people got better off. Now that vital link between the growing wealth of the country and people's family finances has been broken. Miliband is focusing the Labour conference on the crisis of the growing cost of living after figures showed that in 37 of the 38 months the coalition has been in office, inflation has outstripped pay rises. He said: "For generations in this country when the economy grew the majority of people got better off. Now that vital link between the growing wealth of the country and people's family finances has been broken.
"The question is for the British people: is there a party that is going to tackle that? It is about creating higher-paying jobs in this country, which is why our policy on apprenticeships, for as many as 100,000 more apprenticeships, is so important; it is about fairer decision tax, [repealing] the bedroom tax; and it is also about cracking down on some of those vested interests – the train companies who are taking people for a ride under this government.""The question is for the British people: is there a party that is going to tackle that? It is about creating higher-paying jobs in this country, which is why our policy on apprenticeships, for as many as 100,000 more apprenticeships, is so important; it is about fairer decision tax, [repealing] the bedroom tax; and it is also about cracking down on some of those vested interests – the train companies who are taking people for a ride under this government."
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.