James Forsyth James Forsyth

Politics: Don’t bet on Ed Miliband to win it for the Tories

issue 19 May 2012

In the past few difficult months, the Cameroons have taken comfort from their belief that Ed Miliband will never be prime minister. After the local elections earlier this month, when Labour took far more Tory seats than expected, the silver lining for the government was the thought that Ed Miliband would now stay on as Labour leader until 2015.

When asked to justify their conviction that Miliband will never make it to Downing Street, the Cameroons offer three reasons. First, they reckon that the public just can’t see him as PM material. Second, they expect that the next election will be fought on the economy, the area where Labour is weakest. Finally, they note that if there is one group of people less convinced by Miliband minor that they are, it is the old Blairites who know how to win elections.

The last few days, however, have suggested that the Tories’ confidence in ­Miliband might be misplaced.

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