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Sack Miliband or you'll look weak, MPs warn Brown
Joe Murphy and Nicholas Cecil31.07.08
Gordon Brown was today warned by Labour MPs that he would look "weak" if he failed to sack David Miliband.
The calls came as Downing Street backed away from a confrontation and said the Prime Minster was "relaxed" about the Foreign Secretary's conduct.
Mr Miliband used a BBC radio interview to deny deliberately causing trouble this afternoon. But he did not volunteer an unqualified endorsement of Mr Brown to remain leader into the next general election, which is what No10 had hoped for.
"I have always wanted to support Gordon's leadership," Mr Miliband said, a term that left the duration of his support unclear.
Appearing on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2, he defended Mr Brown's economic record and praised his values.
But he ducked answering a question on whether he realised the furore he would cause by writing an article that was widely viewed as him positioning for the leadership. "I'm not running a leadership campaign," he insisted. Asked if Mr Brown could hang on, he said: "Of course! Look, this leader of the Labour Party has got huge experience and good values. The worst thing would be if we all went mute."
Two Labour backbenchers urged the Prime Minister to sack him, calling his behaviour "duplicitous". Geraldine Smith said Mr Miliband was "trying to stir up trouble" while Bob Marshall-Andrews accused him of "pretty contemptible politics".
But No 10 appeared keen not to fan the flames today, in marked contrast to the angry denunciations of the Foreign Secretary as "self-serving" and "disloyal" by close allies of Mr Brown yesterday. Medway MP Mr Marshall-Andrews said Mr Brown would look weak if he failed to discipline the Foreign Secretary.
"It's quite clearly a challenge to the Prime Minister but it's being done in the worst possible way. It's duplicitous," he said. "If he does not resign, then the Prime Minister should sack him. If he does not the danger is he will compound a probably undeserved reputation for being indecisive."
Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Ms Smith said: "I would sack him. I think he's overstepped the line. We can't have people in the Cabinet plotting and trying to undermine the Prime Minister. That's unacceptable."
A stream of callers to the Jeremy Vine show attacked Mr Brown, one calling him "a godawful man". When another caller, called Sheila, said Mr Miliband should take over, he joked: "I promise you, this is not my mum!"
Ex-minister Denis MacShane said Mr Miliband had shown "real leadership" against the Conservatives with the essay on how to win the next election, which did not name Mr Brown.
He said: "For the first time this summer, one can sense some grip and a focus on the enemy not ourselves. It is overdue and all the briefers and 'friends of ' could do worse than follow his example."
No 10 insiders also dismissed rumours that Mr Brown had lost trust in two Cabinet ministers - Mr Miliband's brother Ed, who is in charge of the Cabinet Office, and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander.
Reader views (19)
I don't care who replaces Brown just so long as he is gone,-"Damn it my ex mother-in-law would be preferable to the latex puppet fool Brown".
- Jacob, Canterbury England
Simon barrow...
interesting but confusing comment. You don't like Labour's 'Stalinist policies' whatever that means - but you particularly want to rid the party of the Blairites - ie the right wing, pro free market, privatisation, middle class focused wing of the party...
- Martin_Clerkenwell, london
Whatever you might think of Milliband's actions, it's laughable for him to be called duplicitous - it looks like politics, and being a politician he is behaving like one.
- Stevo, London
For gawd sake Labour, can`t you realise that the problem is your Stalinist policies?
The people of this country do not want your vision, or the police-state it creates.
The first step is to rid the party of it`s Blairites. The second step would be to get someone of integrity as PM. Kate Hoey would be perfect.
- Simon Barrow, London, UK
Dead right. Gordon: fire Miliband. NOW.
- Lord Of The Wings, The Deep South
Simon & Janey C, My view Miliband is a very spooky guy. No way is he his own man! He's been groomed for one specific job and you won't like it either.
- Mike, London
I am loving this. Watching nu-labor destroy itself. The labour party throughout its history has never been capable of running the country. Thats why the Conservatives have ruled for most of the 20th century. I m ready to bet anyone that at the next election the labour party will be wiped out and will be out of office for the next 20 years. I m so happy watching their destruction. Just pour myself another glass of wine as I look at a photo of the Magnificent Margaret Thatcher.
- British Ben., isle of wight.england
Sack Milliband and Brown would appear scared which would make Prescott's statement about there being no one else to do the job as well seem like propping up a dead duck PM which is what Brown is. The Labour party is about more than individuals and for Brown to be continuing to cling on to the top job is doing more damage so whoever said he should sack Milliband should direct the same fire towards Brown instead. He needs to go and go soon to spare us a wipe out at the next election.....and to spare us from the new tories who are just a party of window dressing.
- Kdbur, london
Miliband's pedigree is relevant, as well as his ability, which seems to be agreed. He comes from a tradition of 'insiderism' as pernicious in its way as the old Rotten Boroughs system: his Dad Ralph, the Marxist theorist, influenced a generation of university graduates, those tub-thumping 60's protesters who are now running the show in sharp suits, and sitting comfortably in all the well-paid quango non-jobs which they've created for each other. It's not so much the Marxist theory they imbibed that counts, as the sense of entitlement to power by virtue of membership of an elite inside group. Who in the current Labour leadership has ever held down a real job, made money on the back of their own initiative and risk, or served the public in a position of danger? Even those from trade union backgrounds have effectively been public sector apparatchiks from Day 1 of their careers. In brief, there's nothing real about them, they don't come from mainstream society at all: and now look at all the little sons and nephews cropping up in the lower levels of the gravy train. Mass, state-subsidised university education has landed us a generation on with an amazing hybrid, the Hereditary Meritocracy.
- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london
This Miliband guy's a joke. Saw him once at an art exhibition - has as much stature / presence as a dormouse in a field. Cameron will have this fourth rater for breakfast at PMQs.
- Tom, Moscow
So Mike in London, are all your relatives nice people even going back a generation. If so you are very lucky!
- Simon, London
Resign Mr Brown and I will re-join the Labour party which I resigned from when you fumbled into power! You have done nothing note-worthy. Mr Milliband please challenge Mr Brown and you would have my vote.
- Dave H, London, (City)
Gordon's government plans to let Southwold slip below the waves over the next 40 years.
Gordon appears liable to slip below the waves in the next four days!
- Cynosarges, London, UK
A self-declared Marxist & atheist as Prime Minister. Terrific - can't wait. That'll really finish the Liebour Party off big time and hopefully for at least another generation.
- John, Bourne, Lincolnshire
What has 'Grandaddy Sam' got to do with David Miliband?
He is his own man, I'll bet there a few spooky skeletons in your cupboard Mike does that mean you shouldn't have a better job either then?
- Janey C, inverness, scotland
I don't think Gordon's having a particularly good holiday by the sea.
- Matthew, london
It's the Labour party that need changing not the leader.
Labour: If you change your leader you're out I'm telling you! ..of course you won't listen, Lisbon treaty anyone...?
- Thomas Irvine, London
How does Milibands Grandfather have any relevance to the debate on his suitability to be PM? JFK's father Joseph Kennedy was reputed to be an importer of alcohol from Canada into the USA during Prohibition! Focus on the issue – we have the possibility of Labour replacing a lame duck PM with a young and dynamic Leader capable of challenging Cameron – The Political arena looks like it is getting exciting again.
- City Trader, london
Tell them to Google Miliband before they vote for one of em! Grandaddy Sam apparently not very nice.
- Mike, London
