Miliband says talk of threat to leadership is “nonsense” amid rumours of MPs’ plot

Ed Miliband was last night fighting to regain the confidence of his party as rumours of a leadership plot emerged.
Labour leader Ed MilibandLabour leader Ed Miliband
Labour leader Ed Miliband

The Labour leader was forced to dismiss as nonsense claims that some of his MPs want to get rid of him.

He was speaking after several unnamed MPs criticised his leadership, with one veteran Labour MP saying: “I don’t know a single shadow cabinet member who thinks we can win.

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“Labour MPs have approached me over a plot but I’ve said no. I’ll watch it on the telly.”

There were further rumours yesterday that two MPs had signed a letter seeking a leadership contest just five months from the General Election campaign.

Former Parliamentary Labour Party chair Lord Soley said that the party was facing a “serious” situation, but it was “retrievable” if Labour got its vision across more clearly.

He urged the party leadership to take a “Team Labour approach” - giving a more prominent presentational role to a range of shadow cabinet members, rather than relying only on Mr Miliband to present its case.

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Asked how bad Labour’s “crisis” had become, Lord Soley told the BBC: “It is serious, it would be silly to say that every Labour MP was relaxed about the present situation. You know that’s not true and it’s no good me saying they are relaxed.”

Mr Miliband dismissed suggestions that his leadership was being called into question.

He said: “This is nonsense. My focus, the Labour party’s focus, is on the country and the things that matter to the country.

“That’s the cost-of-living crisis, it’s the NHS, it’s the prospects for the next generation.”

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Asked about claims that MPs have approached senior party figures calling for him to resign, he replied: “Honestly, this is nonsense. Our focus and the Labour Party’s focus is on the country and is going to remain on the country because there are huge issues that our country faces.”

Mr Miliband won some support from shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who said the issue was a distraction.

Responding to reports of the letter calling for Mr Miliband to go, Mr Balls said: “I think all this is nonsense, to be honest. I’ve no idea about any of this.”

Mr Balls, who stood against Mr Miliband for the leadership in 2010, said: “All I know is that everybody in the Labour Party, from Ed Miliband down, is focused on tackling the cost-of-living crisis, building an economy which works for working people, reforming Europe but not walking away, having tough and fair controls on immigration, saving our National Health Service - that’s what Labour’s for.”

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Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, said talk of a leadership challenge was “utter nonsense” and hit out at Mr Miliband’s critics.

He said: “A couple of unnamed MPs seem to be more worried about saving their own rear ends than fighting for a government that can save the NHS and the country.”