Miliband puts hopes on Europe to quell leadership speculation

He will stress his pro-European stance when he speaks to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) which has expressed concern about the UK leaving the European Union.

In an effort to highlight tensions between Mr Cameron and business over Europe, Mr Miliband will contrast his own support for EU membership with the Prime Minister’s call for reforms followed by a referemdum which, the Labour leader will claim, is putting jobs at risk.

Mr Milband will say: “We have seen over the last couple of years that trying to use exit as a threat has simply weakened our influence not strengthened it. And I will not be part of it.

“A country making ever-more incoherent demands, ever-more isolated from its partners, means we are on the conveyor belt towards exit with no idea how to get off.”

The Doncaster North MP will promise to “build alliances with others, not burn them” to secure reform of the EU, adding: “If I am Prime Minister I will never risk your businesses, British jobs, British prosperity by playing political games with our membership of the European Union.”

He will claim that disillusionment with the EU, like support for Scottish independence, has its roots in wider discontent among ordinary families that Britian is a country that “works only for some”.

With the Prime Minister also due to address the CBI today just days after the Chancellor was accused of misrepresenting deal over £1.7 billion Britain owes the EU, Mr Miliband will hope that attention shifts to Mr Cameron’s difficulties on Europe and he will not have to endure another day of speculation over his leadership of the Labour Party.

The weekend saw claims that as many as 20 shadow ministers are willing to quit and call for Mr Miliband to step down if former Home Secretary and Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson can be persuaded to take his place.

For his part, Mr Johnson has repeatedly ruled out a return to the Labour frontbench in any capacity and did so again at the weekend.

Labour’s Caroline Flint, the Shadow Energy Secretary and Don Valley MP, told BBC One’s Sunday Politics: “Look, some of my colleagues are having jitters and part of that is that we’ve always said that this is not a done deal, this election, this is going to be hard fought, and we said that from 2010 and Ed has been saying it since he was elected our leader.

“We have to fight for the right to represent the country in Westminster.”

Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock also came to his embattled successor’s aid, insisting there was no substantial threat to his future.

“He’s not in danger from the Labour Party or anybody in the Labour Party because whilst today’s headlines are serious obviously, it wouldn’t be on the front page of every newspaper otherwise, the so-called threat, and I emphasise so-called, is certainly not substantial.

“Not only because all of the sources so-called of the threat are common in their anonymity and cowardice and as far as I can see their tendency towards political suicide, but because there is no real substance in what they are saying and the claims that they are making in so far as you can identify them are totally unjustifiable.”

But Mr Milibandfaced criticism from Damian McBride, the former spin doctor for Gordon Brown.

Mr McBride told Sky News: “If anyone was prepared to come forward now and actually do a formal challenge I think the Miliband camp would fold very quickly.”

Some of Labour’s most senior figures were last week forced to deny holding secret talks.

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the MP for Normanton, dismissed reports they intended to present a joint platform in the event of a leadership vacancy.

A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times found that only 34 per cent of people who voted Labour at the last general election believe Mr Miliband is up to the job of prime minister