Miliband has successful NHS surgery over sleep disorder

The hour-long NHS operation was performed at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London yesterday.

Mr Miliband, MP for Doncaster North, revealed in April that he suffered from sleep apnoea, which interrupts breathing during sleep, made worse by a deviated septum in his nose.

Sources close to the Labour leader dismissed media speculation that he was hoping the operation would make his voice less nasal and appeal more to voters. One source who spoke to him after the operation said he sounded “exactly the same”.

Speaking yesterday, a spokeswoman for the Labour leader said: “Ed Miliband had an operation this morning to correct a deviated septum in order to help with his sleep apnoea.

“The hour-long operation was done with the National Health Service and was performed at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London.

“He is now recovering for a few days before going on holiday with his family.”

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a respiratory condition in which the throat repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, stopping air getting into the lungs and momentarily waking the person up.

Symptoms include heavy snoring and day-time fatigue. Celebrity sufferers include comedian Billy Connolly, writer Christopher Hitchens and actor William Shatner.

A Labour source said that the operation to correct Mr Miliband’s deviated septum was “absolutely not” intended to alter his voice, adding: “I’ve spoken to him since the operation and his voice sounds exactly the same. It wasn’t done in terms of changing his voice at all.”

The Labour leader has endured a tough first year in the job, with speculation over his future and frustration from many colleagues as he struggled to make an impact in the early months.

But he has since earned praise for taking on the Government over the phone hacking scandal. Mr Miliband, who got married to long-term partner Justine earlier this year, has gained credit for a series of strong performances in the House of Commons, particularly taking the Prime Minister to task over links with News International.

This year’s Labour conference in Liverpool in September will mark his anniversary in the job, having been named leader at last year’s event after beating brother David to the job.