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From The Sunday Times

May 25, 2008

David Miliband is ready to save new Labour

Isabel Oakeshott, Deputy Political Editor

David Miliband is preparing to throw his hat into the ring in a leadership contest to “save new Labour” after the party’s disastrous defeat in last week’s Crewe & Nantwich by-election.

The foreign secretary has confided to friends that he is prepared to stand for the leadership if a critical mass of backbenchers turn against Gordon Brown.

He is discussing a strategy to position himself for the top job without personally engineering the prime minister’s downfall.

It comes as senior Labour insiders claim that at least half the cabinet have privately concluded that Brown cannot win the next general election.

Among the ministers said to be ready to desert Brown are Alan Johnson, the health secretary, Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, James Purnell, the work and pensions secretary, Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, John Hutton, the business secretary, Hazel Blears, the communities secretary, Jack Straw, the justice secretary, and Tessa Jowell, the Olympics minister.

In an alarming development for No 10, some insiders claim that Brown is also losing the support of Alistair Darling, the chancellor, regarded as one of his most loyal allies.

In the past 48 hours Miliband has held private talks with friends and advisers over the leadership crisis. Publicly he is denying any plan to stand for the party leadership and has decided not to make any move until a vacancy arises.

Following Labour’s catastrophic defeat in Crewe, he was one of the few cabinet ministers publicly to defend Brown, declaring that he was the “right leader” for the party. Insiders say he issued the statement only after a request from No 10 to back the prime minister.

Downing Street was this weekend pressing other ministers seen as a threat to Brown to take to the airwaves with similar declarations of loyalty.

Miliband’s supporters hope that a delegation of cabinet ministers will persuade Brown to stand down voluntarily in the interests of the party. They believe that Straw, Johnson, Geoff Hoon, the chief whip, and John Denham, the higher education secretary, could play a key role because of the respect that they command among backbenchers.

A source close to Miliband said: “David is not going to do anything until a vacancy arises, but he is ready to go for it. There will be no public display from him in the next few weeks but he and his supporters will be making it clear to backbenchers that there is an alternative to Gordon.”

Last spring Miliband came under intense pressure to challenge Brown for the party leadership when Tony Blair stood down, but concluded that he could not win.

Purnell is also understood to be considering running, while Straw is believed by many MPs to be positioning himself, despite publicly denying the move.

Backbenchers are still divided over whether Brown can lead the party to victory in the next general election, with many continuing to voice support for him. The prime minister and his allies blame the dramatic loss of support for the party on the economy and insist that voters will return to Labour when the credit crunch passes. This weekend they were taking heart from the fact that no senior Labour figure had been emboldened to criticise the prime minister publicly.

None of the three former Blairite ministers fiercely critical of Brown — Alan Milburn, Charles Clarke and Stephen Byers — has spoken out since the Crewe result. Sources close to the three, however, say their silence signals the seriousness of Brown’s situation because they are now confident that serving ministers will lead an attack.

Last night it was reported that some ministers want Brown to appoint a deputy prime minister to bolster his flagging appeal. Despite the scale of the defeat in Crewe, many cabinet ministers still believe that Labour can win the next general election with the right leader. Miliband is said to have been persuaded by friends that even if the Conservatives win he can still perform a vital service to the Labour party by reducing their majority.

A spokeswoman for the foreign secretary said: “There is no leadership contest.”

i wonder if he would be willing to work for peace in PALESTINE. once peace is attained there, the rest of the world will be able to move forward. bring peace to PALESTINE, oil prices plummet, no more wars in the mideast, and prosperity for ALL those living in PALESTINE.

dan, baxter, ca, usa

At the last election Blair promised he would serve a full term that was a lie because we got Brown he then differed over whether or not he would hold an election and then didn't and now they want to chnage the PM again to Boy David. Is this a democrtaic country anymore or not?

M Winn, Aylesbury, Bucks

Please concentrate on the issues Note:- Brown & Milliband are the 'only' persons who are subject to the EU Treaty. They 'alone' signed the Lisbon Treaty without any "lawful mandate" from the British public. It was not signed in our name.

Steve, Bournemouth, England

I dont believe this !!!

Sachya Kapron, London, UK

good !

the more nulabor people that throw themselves onto the political pyre the better !

martin brighton, sheffield,

I'm afraid he just denied it all on SKY more journalism less alcoholism might work.

paul mitchell, Wolverhampton, England

I want an election not another unvetted change of leadership

Jon, London, Uk

I would much prefer for Ed Balls to Milband

chetas, croydon, surrey

As Terry Thomas was wont to say "What an absolute shower".

Callan, Liverpool, England

Et Tu Miliband?

Hamad Lone, London, England

Ridiciulous 'anti-terror' policies, the ID card scheme, losing thousands of people's personal data, still no referendum on the EU treaty, the failing economy - it's over, Brown, you lose!

Greg, Nottingham,

Great if that happens we'll need to have a general election. The British public might accept one non elected Prime Minister, but not two.

Liz, Ely, Cambs

It's nothing to do with how labour MPs feel about this. Its about public opinion. Brown will be a PR disaster for the election campaign and the choice now for labour is whether they want to replace him now and save some labour MPs or wait until after the election when he will get replaced anyway.

mike lincoln, wakefield,

So that will be New, New Labour then? Sounds like something from the Soviet Era. At least with Boris and the Conservatives you get humour thrown in! Always a good sign.

Chris, London,

"David Miliband is ready to save new Labour"

And I thought comedy was dead in the UK.

Paul, West Midlands,

"now he's gone they are going to fracture and regress to an unelectable and defunct socialist party..."

Stephen, Norwich, Norfolk

Oh yes! Bring it on, I say! Labour have behaved true to form. It is now time for the Conservatives to rebuild Britain as they had to last time Labour left office.

Edwin, Bucharest,

And I thought Milliband was supposed to be intelligent,has anybody asked him why he would want to save something with the appalling record of New Labour.
Come on David,if Winston Churchill can cross the floor so can you.

John W Meadows, Los Altos Hills, California

I doubt Miliband is a leightweight politician lacking a sense of timing. At the least, the mutiny should wait till the end of the summer holiday, when the temperature drops and the daily round returns. By then, an increasingly frustrated middle-class should learn, if Brown is really short of ideas.

Simon G., Copenhagen , Denmark

The UK government take on petrol/deisel is greater than any of the OPEC countries. What a cheek to expect them to increase production to ease price rises when our government holds the key. Reduce the tax!!!!!

P Baker, Andover, UK

"David Miliband is ready to save new Labour"

For God's sake...and for Britain's, David, DON"T save it. Just..Let it die! Can't you see that Britain needs a new beginning...a new hope, a new pride...a new birth?....and NOT new Labour?

Garth Strong, San Francisco, USA

Iain, Tokyo. Your comment.

'Jewish Prime Minister' sounds heavily loaded. If that label were attached to Milliband, how would he get on with Arab nations or Iran? Your expression sounds a very sticky one. I am not at all sure that racial labels are quite the done thing or PC in U.K politics.

Colin, Cambridge, UK

Gordon Brown called himself a leader and a social democrat. He was the deadloss Socialist tax man in reality.

David Milliband aspires to be the new leader. He is the ex Marxist lightweitght who has gone along with Labour's tax and waste policies and Blair's hoax new labour con.

Steve Bell, London,

He cannot save labour the state of the ecomony is nothing to do with GB, he does not control the price of oil or house prices, we have become a nation of selfish spoilt brats, wanting everything without being prepared to sacrifice tp get it.

Uche George, Lonodn , UK

One of the reasons people are leaving labour in their droves is that under Brown he appears to be taking us back to the MacMillan old school boy days whereby the only chance of getting on within the party you have to be a wife, husband, sister, brother or child of one of the chosen few.

David, Dunmow, Essex

I have watched Miliband since he was at the IPPR think tank. I was at a close thinktank at the same time. He has a brilliant mind, is an astonishing communicator. If he were to succeed he would be the first Jewish Prime Minister since Disraeli. Exciting times.

Iain, Tokyo, Japan

This all sounds jolly interesting. Whatever happens it is quite clear that Labour are doomed. So do we wait while they draw out the game over next couple of years or should they all start shredding now? The other team seem to be bowling spinners at the moment so it seems like their turn to bat.

Colin, Cambridge, UK

"New" Labour.
What a laugh!
Are they doubleplus good, too?

Mike, Missoula,

milliband is an enigma,wrapped in a mystery,swathed in a secret! ie; a complete and utter nonentity to the vast majority to the british public. if he thinks he can pick up the banner of the labour party and bring it roaring back to the top of the polls he is a dreamer! upper class to boot!!!

elizabeth, brighouse, england

Oh dear, bottom of the barrell stuff really. The sad truth is that there is no one left in New Labour with the gravitas to be PM. Blair was the only thing that held the new-lab coalition together, now he's gone they are going to fracture and regress to an unelectable and defunct socialist party.

Stephen, Norwich, Norfolk

Miliband? I could use a soccer chant here; "Are you Blair in disguise"? Enough said; except of course that whoever is their leader, Labour governments always wreck the country in the end; read their record!

Rod Garr, Miami, USA

Its not just Brown. People have finally woken up to what NuLabour have done: yobs, stabbings, drugs, Iraq, stealth taxes, road & fuel tax robbery, speed camera robbery, pensions robbery, billions wasted on unreformed NHS & benefits system, control freak over regulation & endless nanny state nagging

DENIS DOWEN, HARTLEPOOL, UK

OPEC does not raise prices, it regulates production levels and current levels of supply are very high. The reason why oil prices are high is because there is a fear in the market. The US market!! The risk is an economic one NOT a supply or control issue. It is Browns fault as tax on fuel is too high

Namster, London,

Milliband wants to risk his future political career by getting to the top when things will inevitably go downhill? Power-hunger wins over intelligence! Let Brown lose the election and keep your future opportunities intact. Unless he wants to be another Hague, set up for failure from day one.

Gabriel Hessing, Torbay,

I think Labour should stay in power now and win the general election just to be at the helm when the true economic crunch and depression hits this country. That way they can all resign in disgrace when the country demands it, never to return as a viable party.

louis blanc, liverpool, uk

OPEC the oil cartel raise their prices=Browns fault
The banks lose big in America mortgage market =Browns fault
People spend money they don't have =Browns fault
Imigrents take jobs nobody else wants= Browns fault

Yes this guy Brown has a lot to answer for...NOT

william thomson, lincoln, u k

As soon as they were elected all they were concerned with was themselves. The UK is a demoralised state that Labour has given away in 10 years!!. We once had an Empire, now we have a circus of Labour would be's, I'm not sure the conservatives are any better
The UK, led by sheep to die like Lions

C Candlin, Walsall, UK

Mr Milliband is far too sharp to throw his own career away quite as fast as that if he takes over the sinking ship now he will drown aswell

Roy Vigus, Ware, UK

Ah, so the Gap Year student is ready to lead from the front?
They will soon be 'electing' Primary school students to run the country!

PRUDENCE EELY BOND MCGUIRE, London, England, UK

Lets face facts, New Labour will lose the next election and whoever takes the reigns will be doing so during a deep recession thanks to the financial policies of the incompetant Brown during the past ten years. Milliband? Just the suggestion shows their desperation.

kenny livitt, hove,

Three PMs in two years !! Two of them unelected !! Robert Mugabe is a saint compared to this lot. The British people are entitled to a General election NOW !! Come in Labour/nulabour, your time is up.

Simon, Newcastle.

Simon, Newcastle on Tyne, England

Gary from St Albans may be horribly correct. Another unelected prime minister imposed upon us is a distinct possibility. I can see Brown proclaiming s state of emergency, cancelling all democratic elections, and the UK sinking completely into the mire of a dictatorship

Anne Wotana Kaye, London, England

The phrase, "Rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic" springs to mind.

Peter K, London, England

Millieband to save nulabour !! HA ha ha ha ha ha ha ! Stop it ! My sides are hurting too much !!

Simon Newcastle.

Simon, Newcastle on Tyne, England

Brown's a commissar with a bunker mentality, he'll be more tenuous than Hilary Clinton. He'll stay because those who can eject him (his "bunker ministers") know if he goes they go, as the demand for a gen. election, that they will lose, will be overwhelming. Only hope is that he loses a House vote

howard, Perth, Australia

Most Labour supporters have been looking for some real substance from Labour for years now... sadly, it seems like business as usual with Brown! A fresh start and big change of direction isn’t on his agenda. He’s losing core support fast because it seems nothing has changed since he succeeded Blair.

IGrimes, Birmingham,

when was the last time a defeated labour government ever left this country in a fit economic or social state?
The conservaties always have to pick up the pieces and start all over again. the fact that they always start with a broken ship is a credit to their abilities to get the country back on top

peter simmonds, Stokesley, UK

I think it,s now right time for david miliband to save labour from further disaster the two davids represent obama in America which will be a sereious contention in the next general election for the british people to decide while brown represent Hillary Clinton .
phillips idowu essex uk

phillips idowu, grays, essex

When Brown succeeded Blair we wanted some 'big' ideas... an appreciation to some basic core Labour principles. A real change. We wanted a strong leader with a firm idea of what the 'Labour Party' should actually be now that Blair has gone. Let's see Labour make some seriously big decisions for once!

IGrimes, Birmingham,

If Labour people cannot see Milliband for what he is (a chlld playing politics) and if people cannot see that he is devoid of personality then they really are sunk. Its not about the person anyway ITS TOO MUCH TAX AND CONTROL.

Pete, Beverley,

If Labour do change their leader, wouldn't it be nice if they also changed their policy towards the indigenous people of this country and actually acknowledged our existence.

It would also be nice if we were allowed to have a general election instead of a coup.

Peter Grant, Enfield, England

. If Miliband goes for it and wins, the most he could hope for is to minimise the Tory majority and perhaps be allowed to hang on as Opposition leader long enough to have a chance next time round, like Heath in 1970. Surely he'll learn from Hague and Portillo's mistakes.

Gary Freer, St Albans, Herts

We may have another unelected Labour PM imposed on us? In 2005, Tony Blair promised to serve a full term. So Labour has no mandate to impose two unelected PMs on us. People are fed up with Labour, no new leader without a General Election, no more Labour misrule, lets have our democracy back

Stephen, London, England

There is no leadership contest? Well, it seems there is no leadership either. Do us all a favour Clown, call a General Election now......

Garley, London, UK

The new labour shop is closing down and it will not matter one jot who is in charge, there is an overwhelming feeling of dissapointment with the lot of them, rapidly turning into resentment. The end is here.

Martin, Tenerife,

It's not the 10p - It's the 10 years.

The English want their country back.

John Smith, manchester, UK

Some say that Millie Band has been let out of Primary School early - is that an indication of how low the Labour Party has sunk, and how desperate they are?

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

They must be joking, they really must: Miliband is part of the whole disease!

Robert, Hull, East Yorkshire

What a backstabbing shower of creeps , nearly as bad as the Cons.
Brown needs to go from where he should never have been so let someone with guts stand up and say so to his face because he is out of touch with reality, well just slightly more so than the rest.

Dave Madley, Alicante, Spain

Miliband! You must be joking! He just as Cameron are already party of a greedy Labour/Conservative Parliamentary help yourself; first , second and last, "system" ! ...Surely recent releases of their greed (they sought to conceale/suppress,) only compounded this fact further did it not!??

Stan The Man, Scunthorpe, England...UK

The labour party just dont get it do they!!

s wade, spalding , lincs

Amazing how the likes of Ruth Kelly, Jack Straw, Jacqui Smith, Tessa Jowell and Alan Johnson seem ready to knife Gordon Brown in the back.

Are these characters oblivious to the fact it is they together with the PM who are responsible for the decline in the popularity of Labour!

Malcolm Cook, Dereham, Norfolk

Too late. The only contest is for the next leader of the Opposition

Richard, Bexhill, UK

Why should we be glad that Miliband is going to step in to save Labour? He is the kind of apparatchik that we thought we had lost when Benn and Co went. If you think your liberties have been under threat in recent years, wait until this man gains power, and he will. Is there no decent politican left

John Bull, Wolverhampton, England

Call a general election and the people will decide. We do still have a democracy don't we?

Keith Margin, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire

Will Milliband want Darling in his team?

He - Alistair Darling has been inept - does not listen - and is just an echo of Gordon Brown.

Trish Niblock, Edinburgh, Scotland UK

Hasn't the boy just flew out to Burma? This shows where the UK lies with his priorities. A professional politician who has never really had a real job in his life!

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

Alphonsus, we can also think back to 10 years of Brown''s chancellorship where the gold reserves were sold at rock bottom prices, the national debt reached record levels and house price inflation went rampant fuelled by record levels of personal debt. Things can only get better!

Paul, Coventry,

What i don't seem to understand is what Gordon brown has done wrong all i see is negative publicity from most of the conservative tabloids Dave looks great talks great but what polices does he have because there not getting across to me i have a mortgage to pay and rates haved stay low under brown.

TOM, Dundee, Scotland

Basildon - "Brown IS New Labour, it dies with him."

Hmmmm... The death has already occured. Verdict recorded - death by misadventure.

What a pity...

Osei K., London,

It should be noted that Miliband's spokeswoman did not deny that discussions are taking place. History will show that this story is true when the next book is published. The move against Brown started with the demise of Blair and the publication of his friends' books.

mike lincoln, wakefield,

From Bean senior to Bean junior - give me strength! These PM wannabes knew what Brown was like before he became leader but hadn't the guts to take him on in a leadership contest. They ran away to let him inflict his dithering will on the country. None of them are up to the job.

Joe, Belfast, N.Ireland

Why am I cynical about this probably made up story based entirely on unconfirmed and unnamed sources? Just another story to undermine the PM, not that he shouldnt go. This type of story typifies the state of both UK journalism and UK politics and feeds the mindset which leads to such poor turnouts

mike gee, bournemouth, uk

250 stealth taxes, EU lyer, immigration, traitor, Iraq / Afgan, 10% tax, dentists, NHS, dust bins, petrol, buying votes in Scotland Wales, a bully, anti democratic, welfare benefits, civil servants pensions, council tax , yobs, drugs, justice, prisons, etc. etc.
Bye Bye Gordy, bye bye NuLabour.

G Pickles, Leeds,

Will Millie stop immigration?
Will Millie have a referrendum?
Will Millie reverse all those tax increases?
Will Millie stop wasting government money? etc, etc, etc.
I don't think so.

Mr G, Leeds, UK

Alphonsus, you refer to the bad things during the Tories years but fail to mention that privatisation during that period gave this country the wealth that it enjoys today.

Sandeep, Leicester, UK

If "many cabinet ministers still believe that Labour can win the next general election with the right leader", they are surely deluding themselves - still, with Blears, Smith, Kelly, Harman and Jowell pulling levers, it is easy to believe they would comprise most of the "many".

Padraig, Perth, Australia

Yes! Milliband for Nulabour leader please, and a General Election so that the electorate can have express their opinion, in our wonderful democracy, as to who they'd like to lead our damaged and dangerous society.

Jacques Francis, Westcott, UK

We do not want another un-elected leader of New Labour forced upon us.
This is supposed to be a democracy not a dictatorship lead by New Labour.

Stephen Holmes, Withington, UK

Miliband, the minister who, when in charge of recycling, couldn't be bothered to recycle. The thought of seeing another smug hypocrite as PM is not a cheerful vision of our future.

Terry, Radstock, England

Gordon Brown: Nulabour's Iain Duncan Smith.

Let the electorate choose the country's next leader.

Jacques Francis, Westcott, UK

Miliband?, the man who analysed the technology behind the Tesco Club Card as a basis of recording an individuals Carbon footprint, intent on giving us all carbon quotas, which we are then able to trade to the highest bidder. Technology on this scale will enivitably undermine Democratic values.

A Jones, UK, UK

Browns best Chancellor = Labour spin. Look at his record, he pays £35mil a day = £12bill a yr = £150Bill over 13 yrs to EU, 95% is unnacounted for, Refused to help Rover with £30mill but gave £100bill to a mortgage banks + £200bill =£300Bill, Destroyed £100Bill pensions industry & pensions of many

Jas, Alders, UK

Contest of two Davids would be the most spectacular perfomance which any theatrical audience would wish to watch. Both are cute, smart and intelligent. The UK is lucky to have such chance.

Kakhi, London, UK

Would be that be same same Hazel Blears who has repeatedly been saying since Thursday that Gordon Brown "is the right man for the job" or does the word of a NuLabour politician only last for a day or two at most.

Kevin, Leeds,

Oh Yee of little faith,Give Gordon Brown a chance to steer us through these troubled waters. He has the skills to be a great captain of the Labour Party and Great Britain.Think back if you can to the Nineteen years of Tory Governance, mass unemployement,frozen pensions etc.A truly horrible period

Alphonsus. J. Holmes, Easington, UK

Yes, but who will save Britain from this grandson of a Red Army commissar?

Ben, Queensland, Australia

The worm turns......

John Kerr, Edinburgh,

I do hope that England is looking fwd to a Tory Govt, cos Scotland is voting SNP next time. Let's be friends.

Matthew Reilly, Stirling, Scotland

I am afraid it is the end of a very short road for Brown. He never was up to the job in the first place, personality failings being the main culprit. He never got over Blair taking what he thought was rightfully his, but as we now see, he is still not up to it.

ipd, London,

What speculative rubbish. Brown utterly dominates the Parliamentary Labour Party machine. He has craved this job all his life and will fight like crazy to keep it.
Milliband? Straw? They are Brown's playthings, as are the rest of his cabinet subordinates. Brown IS New Labour, it dies with him.

Harlan Leyside, Basildon, England

The question who is spinning this story. My guess is the Brown/Balls camp.

I think it is now time for a change. The voters have had enough of Nu Labour. In my opinion the EU treaty, 10p tax and refusing to adjust fuel duty as the price rises.

A 2nd change of leader? General Election this time

Andrew, Melbourne, Oz

Get rid of Gordon Brown,re-introduce the 10p tax and reduce fuel duty and increase tax for very high earners and who know,Labour might win the next Election.People arn't anti-Labour,they just don't know what Gordon Brown stands for,except almost certain defeat at the next General Election.

stephen hulton, eure, france

McLabour are OUT at the next General election....that is if they havent banned them by then.

It doesnt matter what they do.

John Harrison, Leeds, England

I saw Miliband on TV on a visit to the UK recently. I thought he was some wannabe raise his profile. He clearly didn't know anything about economics. It was only later I heard he was foreign secretary!

Mind you, Gordon Brown never studied economics and they made him Chancellor...amazing spin.

Adam, Sydney, Australia

Another 'unelected' Prime Minister? Let's have a general election...

New Labour has only hung on to power because so many people had no interest in politics while they were doing very nicely. NHS dentists, Iraq, erosion of civil liberties: all shameful,all ignored. But now things are different...

Robert, Manchester, UK

Brown has lost the confidence of the Uk and his party, the best thing he can do is stay on as PM dig himself and the labour party into a bigger hole and then louse the next election.

the sooner David gets into NO 10 the better ist will be for UK PLC....

John, Wolverhampton, UK

For me the new labour meltdown is not due to the economy alone but moral issues - drink, drugs, violence and gambling all soaring. Freedom of speech vanished. Christianity smashed. Family values destroyed. Abortions off the charts. There seems to be no end to the moral decline. God helps us!

Jason, Wales, Wales

MIllibland? Don't make me laugh

There would have to be an immediate General Election if another change of leader took place

Millibland wouldn't want to be tarred with being the shortest reigning Labour leader

Simon, Oxford,

Brown cannot win the next election. He is Scottish and too old, The Tories for all their talk still have a mountain to climb. Henley will bring the Tory leadership back to earth. Until the Liberal Democrats are decimated there is little chance of a Tory majority.

Michael Riley, London, London

Brown was the economic mater for a decade. What has happened to prudence, did she die?

dexey, Birmingham, England

John, immigration has been net positive. taxes are high, the books arent balanced and brown lacks direction.

rob, london,

Not surprised Darling is getting hacked off. Brown keeps saying he is the man to sort the economy. He'd have been cross if Tony had queered his pitch like that - GB can't seem to let the Treasury go to Darling.....

bix, edinburgh, uk

“There is no leadership contest.”

Not yet but there will be

Mark, midlands,

Labour try to make out that all their problems stem from the economy, conveniently forgetting that their popularity was in free fall before the economic downturn. Although the economy is important ,their main problem is loss of trust through incompetence and lies in just about everything they touch.

Roger, swindon,

He who wields the dagger will not wear the crown or even better from the many appropriate quotes from Macbeth

"When our actions do not, Our fears do make us traitors."

Or maybe in the case of Mr Milliband, that should be "hopes and fears"

Chris Gillibrand, Brussels , Belgium

This has the marks of a story being put about by Miliband's enemies in order to incapacitate him so that another challenger can manoeuvre into position. Miliband is a bit brighter than most of his colleagues and will have a plan to counter this.

Ben Elford, Bristol, UK

Changing leaders of New Labour would have the same effect as changing captains on the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. New Labour is finished not only because of Gordon Brown but because of its eleven years of high taxes, immigration, betrayal and lies.

John, London, England

Ugh, I hate Miliband even more than Brown. He represents everything I despise about New Labour - the arrogant, patronising "we know best" attitude and the never having had a proper job since getting a politics degree. If that is the best they can do, they deserve an even bigger hammering next time.

Paul Brown, Leeds,

From me to you and from you to me. New Labour has imploded into a tiny electron sized heap of nothingness. Maybe, New Labour were nothingness in the first instance. The time has come for the British electorate to rid themselves of New Labour, forever!

Costas, Cyprus,

So Miliband, the man who is forcing through the EU constitution without the promised referendum, also thinks that he can become PM without bothering consulting the electorate? And this would be damage limitation? Which is worse, their arrogance, hypocrisy, mendaciousness or incompetence?

Paul Owen, Birmingham, UK