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Labour leader Ed Miliband: Middle class facing crisis | Labour leader Ed Miliband: Middle class facing crisis |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Labour leader Ed Miliband has said middle class families are facing a "crisis of confidence" over falling living standards. | Labour leader Ed Miliband has said middle class families are facing a "crisis of confidence" over falling living standards. |
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Miliband said the economic essentials that once drove and sustained the middle classes had all been undermined. | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Miliband said the economic essentials that once drove and sustained the middle classes had all been undermined. |
Their children's prospects must also be urgently addressed, Mr Miliband added. | Their children's prospects must also be urgently addressed, Mr Miliband added. |
The Conservatives said Mr Miliband had no plan, and offered only more spending, borrowing and taxes. | The Conservatives said Mr Miliband had no plan, and offered only more spending, borrowing and taxes. |
The article comes as the monthly ICM opinion poll for The Guardian suggests Labour's lead has been cut to 3% - in the same series of polls it was 5% in December and 8% in November. | The article comes as the monthly ICM opinion poll for The Guardian suggests Labour's lead has been cut to 3% - in the same series of polls it was 5% in December and 8% in November. |
Mr Miliband, characterised by his opponents as an old-style left-winger, wrote that Labour would "rebuild our middle class". | Mr Miliband, characterised by his opponents as an old-style left-winger, wrote that Labour would "rebuild our middle class". |
Fundamental threat | Fundamental threat |
The Labour leader said the country could not succeed unless that middle class was strong and vibrant. | The Labour leader said the country could not succeed unless that middle class was strong and vibrant. |
He said his long-standing message about a cost-of-living crisis did not just apply to those on zero-hour contracts and the minimum wage, but also to millions of families who never dreamed that life would be a struggle. | He said his long-standing message about a cost-of-living crisis did not just apply to those on zero-hour contracts and the minimum wage, but also to millions of families who never dreamed that life would be a struggle. |
Among their concerns, he highlighted access to further education, good-quality jobs and secure pensions. | Among their concerns, he highlighted access to further education, good-quality jobs and secure pensions. |
He said: "Our country cannot succeed and become collectively better off unless Britain has a strong and vibrant middle class. | He said: "Our country cannot succeed and become collectively better off unless Britain has a strong and vibrant middle class. |
"Indeed, the greatest challenge for our generation is how to tackle a crisis in living standards that has now become a crisis of confidence for middle-class families." | "Indeed, the greatest challenge for our generation is how to tackle a crisis in living standards that has now become a crisis of confidence for middle-class families." |
Mr Miliband said that as well as falling real wages and rising costs for items including food, childcare, energy and transport, the middle class was facing a more fundamental threat. | Mr Miliband said that as well as falling real wages and rising costs for items including food, childcare, energy and transport, the middle class was facing a more fundamental threat. |
"The motors that once drove and sustained it are no longer firing as they used to," he said. | "The motors that once drove and sustained it are no longer firing as they used to," he said. |
"Access to further education and training, good quality jobs with reliable incomes, affordable housing, stable savings, secure pensions: they have all been undermined." | "Access to further education and training, good quality jobs with reliable incomes, affordable housing, stable savings, secure pensions: they have all been undermined." |
Hard-pressed | |
There is little detail in the piece about how these problems might be corrected, although more announcements are promised in the coming days. | There is little detail in the piece about how these problems might be corrected, although more announcements are promised in the coming days. |
Mr Miliband is due to give a major speech on the economy later this week. | Mr Miliband is due to give a major speech on the economy later this week. |
Labour vice-chairman Michael Dugher told the BBC his party was talking about "the millions of hard-pressed families who are feeling the pinch" - people who felt insecure in their jobs, concerned about their income in retirement and worried about their children's future, particularly their chances of being able to own their own home. | |
"They may be cracking open the champagne at the Treasury and saying 'job done'," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. | |
"But they have no idea of the hardship facing families on low and middle incomes." | |
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said: "Many people who work hard are facing tough times today because they have been made poorer by the worst recession in a century - a recession presided over by Ed Miliband and the Labour government he was part of. | Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said: "Many people who work hard are facing tough times today because they have been made poorer by the worst recession in a century - a recession presided over by Ed Miliband and the Labour government he was part of. |
"The only way to ensure a better and more financially secure future for hardworking people and for their children is to stick to David Cameron's long-term economic plan - reducing the deficit, creating jobs, cutting taxes, giving young people the skills they need to get on and fixing the welfare system so that it pays to work. | "The only way to ensure a better and more financially secure future for hardworking people and for their children is to stick to David Cameron's long-term economic plan - reducing the deficit, creating jobs, cutting taxes, giving young people the skills they need to get on and fixing the welfare system so that it pays to work. |
"But Ed Miliband has no plan. He has opposed every difficult decision we have taken to start turning our economy around. | "But Ed Miliband has no plan. He has opposed every difficult decision we have taken to start turning our economy around. |
"All he offers is more of the same old Labour policy that got us into a mess in the first place - more spending, more borrowing and more taxes. | "All he offers is more of the same old Labour policy that got us into a mess in the first place - more spending, more borrowing and more taxes. |
"That would mean a less secure future for hardworking people and their families." | "That would mean a less secure future for hardworking people and their families." |
The ICM poll for the Guardian puts Labour support at 35%,, the Conservatives on 32%, Lib Dems on 14% and UKIP on 10%. ICM interviewed 1,005 adults by telephone from 10 January to 12 January. | The ICM poll for the Guardian puts Labour support at 35%,, the Conservatives on 32%, Lib Dems on 14% and UKIP on 10%. ICM interviewed 1,005 adults by telephone from 10 January to 12 January. |