Posts Tagged ‘Ed Miliband speech’

Time is not on Ed Miliband’s side

23/11/2010, 10:00:57 AM

by Dan Hodges

Were Ed Miliband ever to tear himself away from the poetry of his shadow minister for political and constitutional reform, an admittedly tough ask, he should try a little Kipling. The youngest ever recipient of the Nobel prize for literature knew a thing or two about the virtue of patient fortitude.

“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting”.

To many around the Labour leader, those words could serve as a political mission statement. You have time, they argue. Definition is important. But early mistakes will prove more definitive than early successes. Tread carefully. No slip-ups. Trade time for political space.

Words of caution invariably fall upon keen ears when addressed to politicians. They are by nature risk-averse. Our senior statesmen occupy precarious positions; their office windows overlook an imposing drop. The decisions they take have consequences few of us will replicate in our own working lives. (more…)

Facebook Twitter Digg Delicious StumbleUpon

Conference diary V: some old new generations

30/09/2010, 12:00:45 PM

As a former climate change secretary, it’s good to see Ed Miliband’s commitment to recycling. His “new generation” line from his leader’s speech was previously used by Tony Blair.

According to Alastair Campbell’s diaries from 29 May 1997, referring to suggestions about how to brand an imminent visit by Bill Clinton, Campbell writes: “I quite like ‘new generation politics’ because it suggested the generation was not so much about age but about a change in politics.”

The Who-themed line is a hardy perennial. As we said earlier in the week: bisogna cambiare tutto per non cambiare nulla.

* * * (more…)

Facebook Twitter Digg Delicious StumbleUpon