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Criticism of Ed Miliband amounts to pointless 'Westminster soap opera' Criticism of Ed Miliband amounts to pointless 'Westminster soap opera'
(about 5 hours later)
Criticism of Ed Miliband amounts to a pointless Westminster soap opera that belittles politics, the shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said on Sunday as Labour frontbenchers launched an offensive to shore up the party leader.Criticism of Ed Miliband amounts to a pointless Westminster soap opera that belittles politics, the shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said on Sunday as Labour frontbenchers launched an offensive to shore up the party leader.
In a concerted attempt to face down internal critics, who have suggested that Miliband was struggling to connect with voters, Umunna and two fellow shadow cabinet ministers said the Labour leader was putting forward serious ideas.In a concerted attempt to face down internal critics, who have suggested that Miliband was struggling to connect with voters, Umunna and two fellow shadow cabinet ministers said the Labour leader was putting forward serious ideas.
He told BBC1's the Andrew Marr Show: "Ed is talking about the big issues. People can have the Westminster soap opera parlour chat game. But voters on the doorstep in Streatham don't say to me have you seen the latest YouGov poll. He told BBC1's the Andrew Marr Show: "Ed is talking about the big issues. People can have the Westminster soap opera parlour chat game. But voters on the doorstep in Streatham don't say to me: 'Have you seen the latest YouGov poll?'
"They talk about the education of their children, they talk about whether they are going to get jobs, they talk to me about some of the continuing tragic serious youth violence we see in my constituency. That is why I say we mustn't belittle politics. This is about people's lives. It is not about soap opera.""They talk about the education of their children, they talk about whether they are going to get jobs, they talk to me about some of the continuing tragic serious youth violence we see in my constituency. That is why I say we mustn't belittle politics. This is about people's lives. It is not about soap opera."
Umunna dismissed criticism that Miliband lacks the ability to connect with Britain's celebrity culture. He said: "That belittles our politics. We are not playing some game of Celebrity Big Brother. We are talking about big issues that affect all of our different communities."Umunna dismissed criticism that Miliband lacks the ability to connect with Britain's celebrity culture. He said: "That belittles our politics. We are not playing some game of Celebrity Big Brother. We are talking about big issues that affect all of our different communities."
Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, and Rachel Reeves, the shadow work and pensions secretary, also spoke up in support of Miliband on Sunday after the Guardian reported that he was to be told by frontbenchers that he would have to resign as leader if he lost next year's general election.Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, and Rachel Reeves, the shadow work and pensions secretary, also spoke up in support of Miliband on Sunday after the Guardian reported that he was to be told by frontbenchers that he would have to resign as leader if he lost next year's general election.
The move would be designed to prevent Miliband following the example of Lord Kinnock who remained as Labour leader after losing the 1987 general election, only to lose again in 1992.The move would be designed to prevent Miliband following the example of Lord Kinnock who remained as Labour leader after losing the 1987 general election, only to lose again in 1992.
Kinnock, who supported Miliband in the 2010 leadership contest, rallied to his support on Sunday, telling the Observer: "A hostile press which thought he was a soft target have not forgiven him for proving them wrong – and the vindictiveness will continue." Kinnock, who supported Miliband in the 2010 leadership contest, rallied to his support on Sunday, telling the Observer: "A hostile press which thought he was a soft target have not forgiven him for proving them wrong – and the vindictiveness will continue."
His remarks were echoed by Burnham, who told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that if frontbench critics "can't see there is an effort on now among some in the media to destabilise Ed and Labour because we are in a position with 10 months to go that we can win, then they need to wake up to that pretty fast and stop falling into that trap. The hallmark of Ed Miliband's leadership has been to stand up to some pretty powerful vested interests, be they in the energy market, in the media itself or in the banking and financial sector.His remarks were echoed by Burnham, who told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that if frontbench critics "can't see there is an effort on now among some in the media to destabilise Ed and Labour because we are in a position with 10 months to go that we can win, then they need to wake up to that pretty fast and stop falling into that trap. The hallmark of Ed Miliband's leadership has been to stand up to some pretty powerful vested interests, be they in the energy market, in the media itself or in the banking and financial sector.
"Some of those vested interests are now using their influence to try and destabilise him and us. Now is the time to stand our ground to get behind our leader and work for that Labour victory"."Some of those vested interests are now using their influence to try and destabilise him and us. Now is the time to stand our ground to get behind our leader and work for that Labour victory".
Some of the criticism of Miliband was fuelled by recent polls which showed he had weak personal ratings and that Labour were behind the Tories on the economy. In the July issue of Prospect magazine, Peter Kellner of polling firm YouGov says David Cameron and George Osborne lead Miliband and Ed Balls by 36% to 25% on who is more trusted to run the economy. Some of the criticism of Miliband was fuelled by recent polls which showed he had weak personal ratings and that Labour were behind the Tories on the economy. In the July issue of Prospect magazine, Peter Kellner of polling firm YouGov says David Cameron and George Osborne lead Miliband and Ed Balls by 36% to 25% on who is more trusted to run the economy.
Reeves rounded on Miliband's Labour critics, telling BBC1's Sunday Politics show: "We can look at polls or we can look at actual election results and the fact that we have got another 2,000 Labour councillors, more people voting Labour.Reeves rounded on Miliband's Labour critics, telling BBC1's Sunday Politics show: "We can look at polls or we can look at actual election results and the fact that we have got another 2,000 Labour councillors, more people voting Labour.
"The opinion polls today show that if there was a general election today we would have a majority of more than 40."The opinion polls today show that if there was a general election today we would have a majority of more than 40.
"Ed must be doing something right. I think he is doing a lot right because we are winning back those supporters that abandoned us in 2010.""Ed must be doing something right. I think he is doing a lot right because we are winning back those supporters that abandoned us in 2010."
Reeves will on Monday seek to move on from the weekend briefings when she outlines plans to introduce a three month pause to Iain Duncan Smith's contentious universal credit system if Labour wins the election.Reeves will on Monday seek to move on from the weekend briefings when she outlines plans to introduce a three month pause to Iain Duncan Smith's contentious universal credit system if Labour wins the election.
The scheme, which brings together six benefits into one monthly payment and is designed to encourage people into work, has been beset by a series of IT failures.The scheme, which brings together six benefits into one monthly payment and is designed to encourage people into work, has been beset by a series of IT failures.
Speaking at the launch of a report by the independent universal credit rescue committee, set up by Labour eight months ago, Reeves will say: "Universal credit is in crisis.Speaking at the launch of a report by the independent universal credit rescue committee, set up by Labour eight months ago, Reeves will say: "Universal credit is in crisis.
"Mismanagement by incompetent ministers has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayer's money and caused huge delays to this £12.8bn programme.""Mismanagement by incompetent ministers has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayer's money and caused huge delays to this £12.8bn programme."
Reeves is to announce that Labour would cut the additional red tape the scheme will impose on self-employed people – the section of the labour market that is growing most quickly.
"If universal credit goes ahead, we will make major changes to help families and businesses by cutting red tape for the self-employed and making payments of benefits for children to the person who is caring for them, not just the main earner," she said.
"These changes that will be funded from within the existing budget."