Keir Starmer confronted second of doom – then MPs had a significant realisation
Ed Miliband said Keir Starmer admitted to MPs that mistakes – from the appointment of Peter Mandelson to winter fuel payment cuts – had not been consistent with Labour values
Keir Starmer leaving No10 last night to address MPs in Parliament(Image: PA)
Keir Starmer faced a “moment of peril” yesterday due to serious mistakes under his leadership, a Cabinet minister has said.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the Prime Minister admitted to MPs that mistakes – from the appointment of Peter Mandelson to winter fuel payment cuts – had not been consistent with Labour values and had “drowned out” the good work the Government is doing.
Mr Miliband said he makes “no bones” about the seriousness of yesterday’s events, which left the PM fighting to save his premiership. But the former Labour leader suggested MPs changed their mind after looking over the cliff and realising a “chaotic” change of leader as happened under the Tories is not what the country needs.
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Speaking about Labour’s performance in power this morning, Mr Miliband said: “Keir put it well last night which is that I recognise it’s not just the Peter Mandelson appointment.
“We’ve made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we’re doing as a government, like winter fuel payment, for example, wasn’t consistent with our values as a government. We need to change.”
He continued: “Yesterday was a moment of peril for the Prime Minister. I make no bones about that but as a collective body – the Cabinet, the Labour Party – looked at the alternatives of going down this road of a chaotic leadership election, try and depose the Prime Minister and they said: ‘No, that’s not for us.’
“What’s for us is focusing on the country, supporting Keir, recognising that serious mistakes have been made but recognising that he’s out leader and he deserves the time and space to renew the Government, reset the government and focus on the country.”
Elsewhere, Mr Miliband batted away questions over his own leadership ambitions and rejected any suggestion he was going to run. “Absolute baloney,” he hit back.
The Cabinet minister was also challenged on his colleague Wes Streeting’s suggestion in a previous message to Lord Mandelson that the Government needs a better growth strategy. Asked whether he agreed with the Health Secretary, Ms Miliband told Sky News: “I think that actually Rachel has done a very good job as Chancellor.
“I don’t agree with – if that’s what, I haven’t seen the detail of the messages – but I think we’ve seen the stability that is essential. We’ve seen investment. I’m announcing today.
“I know we’ve got other things to talk about, a big investment in local power so that communities can own their own clean energy. That’s only possible because of the decisions Rachel’s made.”
Mr Starmer last night declared he would not walk away after a tumultuous day left him battling to rescue his premiership. Cabinet ministers rallied to the PM’s defence on Monday after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar broke ranks to call for him to stand down.
Mr Starmer’s position appeared perilous as Mr Sarwar became the most senior figure yet to demand his resignation. But the PM was thrown a lifeline by his top team after hours of ominous silence on Monday, with the whole Cabinet lining up to back him shortly after Mr Sarwar’s intervention.
