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Ed Miliband wants consumer groups to improve uncompetitive markets Ed Miliband wants consumer groups to improve uncompetitive markets
(about 2 hours later)
Ed Miliband has offered himself as the peoples' champion standing up to vested interests when he promised consumers groups would help develop the annual work programme of the government's new competition authority. Ed Miliband has offered himself as the people's champion standing up to vested interests when he promised consumer groups would help develop the annual work programme of the government's new competition authority.
The commitment came as his aides said they were seizing Conservative ground, reminiscent of the rhetoric of Teddy Roosevelt – the turn of the century Republican US president – who offered the voters a square deal to fight "predatory wealth". The commitment came as his aides said they were seizing Conservative ground, reminiscent of the rhetoric of Teddy Roosevelt – the turn-of-the-century Republican US president who offered the voters a square deal to fight "predatory wealth".
In an appearance on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Miliband said bodies such as Citizens Advice and Which? would under Labour plans work with the Competition and Markets Authority to define a work programme for the year ahead. The idea is to highlight areas that parliament and the business secretary should be focusing on. In an appearance on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Miliband said that under Labour plans bodies such as Citizens Advice and Which? would work with the Competition and Markets Authority to define a work programme for the year ahead. The idea is to highlight areas that parliament and the business secretary should be focusing on.
"We need a system in place to shine a light on broken markets", he said, adding competition was the best way to defend consumers. He said "too often regulators have been captured", pointing to the example of energy. He promised legislation to ensure consumer bodies are at the heart of setting the annual agenda and work programme of regulatory bodies "We need a system in place to shine a light on broken markets," he said, adding that competition was the best way to defend consumers. He said "too often regulators have been captured", pointing to the example of energy. He promised legislation to ensure consumer bodies were at the heart of setting the annual agenda and work programme of regulatory bodies
The commitment came after Miliband called last week for greater competition in the banking sector. He said Labour would "go into the election as the party of competition, the party of the consumer, the party of hard pressed families, the party of working families". The commitment came after Miliband called last week for greater competition in the banking sector. He said Labour would "go into the election as the party of competition, the party of the consumer, the party of hard-pressed families, the party of working families".
The Conservative party questioned whether this commitment to competition extended to schools and hospitals. They also asked how this could be squared with the Labour conference call to bring the rail franchises back into public ownership by one organisation.The Conservative party questioned whether this commitment to competition extended to schools and hospitals. They also asked how this could be squared with the Labour conference call to bring the rail franchises back into public ownership by one organisation.
Miliband said Labour would pursue the theme of broken markets further this week challenging the way in which government had failed to force the giant Pubcos to treat pub landlords fairly, leading to a huge wave of pub closures. Miliband said Labour would pursue the theme of broken markets further this week, challenging the way in which government had failed to force the giant pubcos to treat pub landlords fairly, leading to a huge wave of pub closures.
Elsewhere in the interview he said the next Labour government "wants to get the current account into balance by the end of the next parliament and we want to see debt falling". Asked if Labour wants to eliminate the deficit by the end of the next parliament. "We do want that to happen yes. It is a tough commitment and it will involve cuts and difficult decisions." Elsewhere in the interview he said the next Labour government "wants to get the current account into balance by the end of the next parliament and we want to see debt falling". Asked if Labour wanted to eliminate the deficit by the end of the next parliament, he said: "We do want that to happen, yes. It is a tough commitment and it will involve cuts and difficult decisions."
He insisted he could not at this point say if Labour will support a deficit reduction bill likely to be tabled by the government in the autumn. That code of fiscal stability is designed by Osborne to reveal that Labour is not committed to reducing the deficit. He insisted he could not at this point say if Labour would support a deficit reduction bill likely to be tabled by the government in the autumn. That code of fiscal stability is designed by George Osborne to reveal that Labour is not committed to reducing the deficit.
He also defended the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls. "He has the toughness to stand up to people who want more spending when actually it is going to be tough for Labour. He is going to be the shadow chancellor going with me into the next election". He also defended the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls. "He has the toughness to stand up to people who want more spending when actually it is going to be tough for Labour. He is going to be the shadow chancellor going with me into the next election."
He refused to commit to a 50p-tax rate, but said he wanted a fairer system, and said the party at the time of the election would be clear about the distribution. He was equivocal about the precise progress he would make with the trade unions on reforming the union-party link but he said he was looking at changing the rules for the party leadership elections. He refused to commit to a 50p-tax rate, but said he wanted a fairer system, promising that at the time of the election the party would be clear about the distribution. He was equivocal about the precise progress he would make with the trade unions on reforming the union-party link but he said he was looking at changing the rules for the party leadership elections.
"I want to change the relationship with individual trades unionists in the Labour party. I want them to be able to make an active choice about whether they are affiliated to the Labour party. Changes are going to happen. I am determined they do happen.""I want to change the relationship with individual trades unionists in the Labour party. I want them to be able to make an active choice about whether they are affiliated to the Labour party. Changes are going to happen. I am determined they do happen."
Asked if this would lead to changes in the Labour leadership election rules, he said: "I do think we do need to look at those rules and that is something that is being looked at as part of this review and always has been."Asked if this would lead to changes in the Labour leadership election rules, he said: "I do think we do need to look at those rules and that is something that is being looked at as part of this review and always has been."
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