Peter Hoskin

The Milibands, Balls and Attlee

I know, I know – there’s only so much information about the Labour leadership contest that a sane person can take. But as an addendum to Ed Balls’ pugnacious speech earlier, it’s worth noting that Ed Miliband has since deployed exactly the same argument about deficits and the Attlee era:

“We do need to reduce the deficit but politics must be bigger than that. Remember our history. After 1945, with the biggest deficit in our history, that Labour government set out the vision of a good society – for a new welfare state and a new economy.”

To be fair to MiliE, he’s made the same point before now. But its reappearance is a reminder that he has more in common with Ed Balls on the economy than his brother does. The question is whether that will influence Balls’ thinking as he pursues the role of shadow chancellor. 

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