Peter Hoskin

Old Labour, New Labour – or just Same Labour?

Whatever happened to Peter Mandelson’s regard for Ed Miliband? A year-and-a-half ago, the Ennobled One was thought to have marked out MiliE as a future Labour leader. But, today, he pulls out the verbal chainsaw and sets about tearing him down. The younger Miliband, Mandelson implies in an interview with the Times (£), would lead Labour into an “electoral cul-de-sac,” because, “to suggest that we should be concentrating on our core current voters … is by way of saying that we want to remain a minority party.” And, just in case we didn’t get the message, he adds: “we’re not looking for a preacher as our leader.” Although Mandelson doesn’t say as much, it all adds up to an endorsement for the other Miliband brother.

As Tim Montgomerie suggests over

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