MP’s ‘delirium’ at Ed’s victory

ED Miliband is the man to bring Labour back to power and his election was a crucial turning point for the party, according to veteran Oldham MP Michael Meacher.

The knife-edge contest ended with Ed Miliband pipping his brother, David, to become Labour leader by just over 1 per cent in the fourth round of voting.

Following his victory he was dubbed “Red Ed” in some quarters and the Tories claimed he only won because of trade union backing.

But the new leader said he was his own man and would do his own thing.

Oldham West and Royton MP Meacher, who backed Ed from the beginning, said: “I am in a state of delirium. I have not felt happier with the party than I do now for 20 years.

“I feel confident and excited about the future. I think electing Ed as leader is a crucial turning point in our party. I supported Ed from the very beginning and told him he should stand. He came back to me one day and said ‘I am taking your advice and I think I can win’.

“He is not this great left-winger that people keep saying. But he is genuine and has conviction. He has to keep the party united and I believe he can and will. He says he gets where we went wrong and I believe he does.”

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas, who supported David Miliband, said: “It was not the union barons who voted it was the ordinary nurses and bin men and that we should respect. The members are often right when the leaders are wrong.

“I think that the party chose to put the Blair/Brown years behind them and I think my favoured candidate David suffered because he was too closely associated with the rows.

“Ed Miliband was a lot younger and therefore did not have the cloud hanging over him.”

Mr Woolas voted for David Miliband first and Ashton MP David Heyes voted for Andy Burnham first.

David Miliband secured the most votes from the Oldham East and Saddleworth and Ashton constituencies, whereas Ed Miliband was the most popular in Oldham West and Royton.

New leader Ed Miliband said: “It is not about some lurch to the left, absolutely not. I am for the centre-ground of politics, but it is about defining where the centre ground is.

“I’m afraid we became the establishment and when you become the establishment you get kicked out of power.

“I think there are big injustices we need to deal with in Britain, many of them affecting so-called Middle England.”