Miliband’s campaign tactics attacked by rebels in his own ranks

With one poll last week showing the Tories ahead of Labour for the first time in two years, a series of party figures warned that Doncaster North MP Mr Miliband’s cautious tactics would not deliver victory in next year’s General Election.

One prominent backbencher, Simon Mr Danczuk, the MP for Rochdale, said they had to stop relying on the unpopularity of the Government and come forward with a positive vision of their own.

In a scathing newspaper article, he said it was “daft” to dismiss voters who were to turning to Ukip as “disaffected loons” and that winning back support was more than a matter of “setting off a few fireworks or coming up with some catchy slogans”.

“We won’t win a general election by campaigning excessively on food banks and the bedroom tax. Labour has to offer a route out of poverty and unfulfilled potential.”

His concerns were echoed by Tristan Osborne, the parliamentary candidate for Chatham and Aylesford, one of the party’s key target seats, who was recorded making critical remarks at a Labour fund-raising event.

In comments reported by the Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Times, he was quoted as 
complaining of a “dodgy campaign” with “no coherent messaging”.