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| Ed Miliband caught out again live on radio as he appears to know nothing about local party politics | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Labour leader Ed Miliband has been embarrassed in a live interview for the second time in a single day after a regional radio DJ quizzed him on his knowledge of the party’s local council representatives. | The Labour leader Ed Miliband has been embarrassed in a live interview for the second time in a single day after a regional radio DJ quizzed him on his knowledge of the party’s local council representatives. |
| Mr Miliband was campaigning in Wiltshire at the time, yet when asked what he thought of Labour’s leader for Swindon, Jim Grant, he had to admit that he didn’t know who he was. | Mr Miliband was campaigning in Wiltshire at the time, yet when asked what he thought of Labour’s leader for Swindon, Jim Grant, he had to admit that he didn’t know who he was. |
| Despite his apparent lack of awareness of local politics, Mr Miliband then said he felt Cllr Grant was doing a “good job” as leader of Swindon Borough Council – only to have it pointed out that Labour is in fact in the minority there. | Despite his apparent lack of awareness of local politics, Mr Miliband then said he felt Cllr Grant was doing a “good job” as leader of Swindon Borough Council – only to have it pointed out that Labour is in fact in the minority there. |
| The disastrous interview comes just two days before Labour will contest for council seats in the Local Elections, in Swindon and elsewhere. | The disastrous interview comes just two days before Labour will contest for council seats in the Local Elections, in Swindon and elsewhere. |
| And it came just hours after the party leader was accused of being “out of touch with reality” when he appeared to have no idea how much his family paid for their weekly shop. | And it came just hours after the party leader was accused of being “out of touch with reality” when he appeared to have no idea how much his family paid for their weekly shop. |
| The radio interview, on BBC Wiltshire, got off to a shaky start when presenter Ben Prater tried to hand over to the station's weather reporter, only to be greeted by the words: “Hello, it's Ed Miliband.” | The radio interview, on BBC Wiltshire, got off to a shaky start when presenter Ben Prater tried to hand over to the station's weather reporter, only to be greeted by the words: “Hello, it's Ed Miliband.” |
| It didn’t get any better from there, as the presenter asked him why he hadn’t visited Swindon more often, before adding: “Jim Grant, do you think he is doing a good job?” | It didn’t get any better from there, as the presenter asked him why he hadn’t visited Swindon more often, before adding: “Jim Grant, do you think he is doing a good job?” |
| Mr Miliband replied: “I think that lots of Labour representatives are doing a good job right across the country and I…” | Mr Miliband replied: “I think that lots of Labour representatives are doing a good job right across the country and I…” |
| When Prater then asked if he knew who Jim Grant was, the leader replied: “You will enlighten me, I am sure.” | When Prater then asked if he knew who Jim Grant was, the leader replied: “You will enlighten me, I am sure.” |
| Mr Miliband later said: “No, I know that Jim is doing a good job for Swindon and I think he is doing a good job as leader of the council.” | Mr Miliband later said: “No, I know that Jim is doing a good job for Swindon and I think he is doing a good job as leader of the council.” |
| To which Prater replied: “But he is not the leader of the council is he, Mr Miliband? It's a Conservative led council.” | To which Prater replied: “But he is not the leader of the council is he, Mr Miliband? It's a Conservative led council.” |
| Though it makes for cringe-worthy listening, it is at least not as bad a car-crash interview as Ukip leader Nigel Farage’s at the end of last week, which led to him to face accusations of racism. | Though it makes for cringe-worthy listening, it is at least not as bad a car-crash interview as Ukip leader Nigel Farage’s at the end of last week, which led to him to face accusations of racism. |
| Cllr Grant was unavailable for comment when contacted by The Independent. | Cllr Grant was unavailable for comment when contacted by The Independent. |