Ed Miliband more interested in saving own skin than Britain, George Osborne claims LABOURS high command was today accused of putting their political futures ahead of Britain’s interests after a claim they knew nearly a year in advance that a global financial crash was looming - but did not warn the public. 16:52, Sun, Jan 18, 2015 By: ALISON LITTLE 24 62 GETTY Ed Miliband has been accused of saving his own skin rather than British economy Ed Miliband was said to have explained in 2007 that Ed Balls was desperate for Gordon Brown to call a snap election because the economy was about to fall off a cliff and Labour would be blamed. The allegation is in a sometimes comical memoir by former Doncaster mayor Martin Winter, who helped Mr Miliband become MP for the town in 2005 but who left Labour in 2009 after internal rows and a series of council social services scandals. He said that in October 2007, shortly after then PM Mr Brown ruled out an early election, Mr Miliband told him in a conversation about why Mr Balls in particular had wanted a snap poll: The economy is going to fall off a cliff and this was our best chance of winning an election. The economy is going to get a hell of a lot worse over the next two or three years and well get the blame for it; so it was either go now and risk losing, or wait and know that were going to lose. By then there had been problems including at British bank Northern Rock but it was not until September 2008 that the collapse of US Bank Lehman Brothers ushered in the fullblown crisis. GETTY Chancellor George Osborne It shows they were more interested in saving their own skins than saving the British economy Chancellor George Osborne Spokesmen for Mr Miliband and Shadow Chancellor Mr Balls denied Mr Winters claim, insisting noone in 2007 had any sense of the coming catastrophe and the economy was nothing to do with wanting an early election. But Conservative Chancellor George Osborne said the account exposed the two mens political cynicism and opportunism. It shows they were more interested in saving their own skins than saving the British economy. Then Brown adviser Mr Miliband stayed with the Winters for several weeks in 2005 so they could help him become MP for the safe seat Doncaster North seat. Episodes Mr Winter recounted included his then 10-year-old daughter opining that their guest was not very bright because she had found him struggling to realise a doormat was stopping the front door closing. The author said he once had to rescue Mr Miliband from the shed he worked in because the future MP had moved a heater off its brick stand into the middle of the room - burning the carpet and releasing toxic fumes. Mr Miliband also allegedly struggled with some practical aspects of campaigning - and was outwitted by the Winters young children who wrung nearly £400 out of him for putting leaflets into envelopes. While Mr Miliband could be fun and charming and on one level has a computer-like brain, he could also be arrogant ... struggles with everyday challenges and seems to know little about the values or lifestyle of ordinary working class people, wrote Mr Winter. Mr Winter claimed that Mr Miliband later bought the family a small rug as a Christmas present to compensate for the carpet burnt in the shed by the heater and to put over the hole. Research suggested it was an Islamic prayer mat. Mr Winter wrote in his diary that it seemed a strange present – particularly if it was meant to be walked on by muddy feet. Related articles Miliband should not make capital from Paris horror Tony Blair tells Ed Miliband to show clear leadership in fresh swipe at Labour leader Ive ditched the breadmaker! David Cameron reveals pre-election bid to shed excess pounds Cameron is wrong to avoid televised debates, says LEO MCKINSTRY Rather than treat it disrespectfully, the family kept it with other cherished possessions said Mr Winter - adding that he could not imagine former Prime Ministers making such a mistake. The author also betrayed financial irritations with his guest, who he said had bought unsuitable paper for his election leaflet which subsequently burnt out the family printer. Mr Miliband, claimed the author, had barely acknowledged the new printers arrival never mind offering to help pay for it - and had never even made good on his promise to take the couple out for dinner to say thank you for their help. Labour sources were generally dismissive of Mr Winter’s wider criticisms of Mr Miliband, suggesting the author was disenchanted with the party having been expelled from it. Dont miss the latest top stories
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:15:13 +0000
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