Ed Miliband on thinking big, regrets, the climate emergency, and what Labour stands for

[@OwenJonesTalks]

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[@dambrooks7578]

I am almost struggling to believe that you are actually younger than my little brother and sister. Sorry, Owen. I doubt you'll remember meeting, along with Dam Glass at a protest take over of Pride one year...

[@CPH79]

pass this onto Labour hq, they need it...

[@richardfraser7024]

Another labour leader who would have made the UK a far far better place.

[@MegaKerrigan]

Had he been more bold in his vision, Brexit could of never happen.

[@artistsometimes2729]

@@lookandlisten5740 PLP and institutional pressure to conform to austerity

[@c.j.griffin]

Freedom from risk rather than the essentialisation and monetisation of risk throughout our daily lives was a perceptive point... I've got time for Ed.

[@juliewake4585]

If only he spoke like this when he was leader.

[@c.j.griffin]

@@juliewake4585 It's unfortunate, to say the least, isn't it? I can't recall where I heard this 'hot take', but I read somewhere that the 2017 manifesto came closer to 'actual' Ed Miliband than it did Jeremy Corbyn's own political compass (assuming he would have wanted something much more immediately/far-reachingly/fundamentally transformative.

[@andrewheathman4327]

Corbyn has the vision. Trying to wipe this from history is utterly disgusting

[@samwalsh7071]

@@gladmilk3692 biggest gains ever in 2017. internal and external smear campaign and brexit to blame for 2019. ignorance really is bliss

[@samwalsh7071]

@@gladmilk3692 Keith Starmer and the labour right causing a stir and forcing him to make the people's vote part of the manifesto in order to stop the internal unrest, then Keith starting a leadership campaign and blaming Corbyn for this, before the election even happened. Yeah Corbyn's fault that

[@samwalsh7071]

@@gladmilk3692 hahaha what? I have no doubt in my mind that May was the front woman just acting upon what those behind her told her to do, hence all the u turns

[@samwalsh7071]

@@gladmilk3692 biggest gains in 2017 since any of the party's leaders since 1945 sorry, despite the absolute unwarranted vilification of him in the press

[@AB-zl4nh]

Jeremy Corbyn was the wrong person with the right message. I voted for him and Labour but I understand that. He lacked popular appeal beyond our party and that's just a harsh reality. The UK Left/Soft Left need to find someone who is the right person with the right message.

[@simonyorkshire241]

I like Ed Miliband, and his honesty that he failed to think big enough as leader. However, he cannot possibly believe his defense of Starmer. Interesting interview, for sure.

[@richardwilliams3308]

Yeah I like Ed. I think his bro would have been PM. But actually he is much more of a technocrat bore so might be wrong on that

[@inco9943]

yes shocking he defends the leader of his party ... you mug

[@richardwilliams3308]

@@inco9943 hahah!

[@simonyorkshire241]

@@inco9943 got to love the kind of debate where one uses mild insults when disagreeing with someone else. If you read my comment, I never said it was surprising that he defended Starmer, just that I doubt he believes that defence - as he is championing the need for big ideas. The opposite of what Starmer has.

[@inco9943]

@@simonyorkshire241 a youtube comments section isnt a debate stop crying

[@mmare1263]

I love Ed, if I would have been able to vote back then I would have voted for him

[@TheNadiabear]

He was a different man back then, he has matured and is better for it.

[@sidevans1]

have a word with the left, they all cried about him for five years then voted green.

[@14loosecannon]

Labour could actually do a lot worse than brining Ed back as leader, at the very least he's likeable and actually has political beliefs and ideas

[@richardwilliams3308]

Hahahah! Also at the very best he would still lose!!! Typical leftie labour comment. Absolutely no eye on getting power!

[@tomlangford1999]

Ed is such a legend

[@mattowen9958]

A legend ? Lol

[@Lolalai]

Tony and Gordon had moved Labour so much to the right that they effectively made way for the Tories. So, there is no surprise that Ed was left without a platform.

[@dambrooks7578]

After twenty-seven minutes of me thinking I should invest time in a reappraisal of my opinion of Miliband, then he began excusing Sir Saintly Starmer for his rather pathetic leadership that lacks any substance. I believe using the pandemic as an excuse for lacking direction is actually evidence that Sir Saintly Starmer has not got what it takes to lead the country as he cannot even lead himself out of a damp tissue.

[@frankieashworth6942]

Starmers his boss tho. He fires people in the shadow cabinet all the time Over the smallest things this is actually pretty out to go on a show so regularly critical

[@dambrooks7578]

@@frankieashworth6942 I think it truly says a lot abput Sir Saintly Starmer that he did an interview with Piers Morgan, of all people, to bring to people's attention how aside from the "surgical precision" in the Houses of Parliament that "call me Keir" is actually an affable human after all. Maybe I am just naturally sceptical, but selecting the man recently sacked for storming off set mid live interview just seems as misguided as ill thought out.

[@frankieashworth6942]

@@dambrooks7578 I don't like starmer. I'm not employed by him and it's not my job to get him in govt. It's as simple as that.

[@dambrooks7578]

@@frankieashworth6942 indeed, although depending on if you live in the consistency that is, sort of.

[@vacatiolibertas]

I didn't really care for that section. Starmer's a bloke, but it's in Ed's interest to support his party's leader.

[@mattbeeton2694]

Amazing! I'm so happy to see two of my favourite people in politics together! Now on the topic of former party leaders... When can we see King Jeremy himself?😉 Awesome as always!

[@End-Result]

Did you even watch the interview?

[@mattbeeton2694]

I have

[@DonQuickZote]

He’s the king of losing elections and splitting the left.

[@mattbeeton2694]

Just let people be happy, and enjoy videos in peace. No need for this!

[@coldblowcode]

@@DonQuickZote I'd say the same about Starmer

[@markharrison1556]

Maybe Labour should publish their core principles and objectives on the main page of their website.

[@juliewake4585]

There’s an idea!

[@Jay_Johnson]

Not doing a national campaign for the local, Welsh and Scottish elections was starmers biggest failing as leader.

[@markharrison1556]

@@Jay_Johnson Starmer is playing to his strengths in cross examination as a lawyer does in pmq's but labour needs to showcase the successes its having in local government to regain its credibility.

[@Jay_Johnson]

@@markharrison1556 which they should have done in a national campaign. PMQs are meant for cross examination and criticism with a background assumption of what the opposition would have done instead. There's not enough time in PMQs to bring up policy and your not really meant to.

[@markharrison1556]

@@Jay_Johnson my point before was that Starmer only focusing on pmq's when in fact outside of pmq's he needs to give the regional mayors more coverage to boost labours image as a party. This can be done by giving the mayor's a greater role in the party.

[@andrewheathman4327]

Community organising haha. Starmer has abolished the community organising teams within Labour

[@powderandpaint14]

He's also caused have the membership to leave!

[@CO-yy2rv]

@@powderandpaint14 Is that the £3 membership? Quality not quantity.

[@powderandpaint14]

@@CO-yy2rv Shame the party is struggling with funding now, ay.

[@CO-yy2rv]

@@powderandpaint14 Not really I am a Tory voter. Long may it continue.

[@powderandpaint14]

@@CO-yy2rv why are you watching Owen Jones then?

[@peaceandlove1255]

Miliband has it right. Boris will spend spend spend. Everyone is spending. It’s an MMT test drive. Labour need a strong manifesto.

[@joylloyd6636]

Started off well but oh dear, his remarks about Starmer and the Labour "vision" was just so disappointing. Bubbles are so dangerous.

[@peaceandlove1255]

Ironic

[@joylloyd6636]

@@peaceandlove1255 Yes, I'm in my own little bubble too but YouGov is showing that far more people agree that Starmer is not living up to expectations.

[@peaceandlove1255]

@@joylloyd6636 what I will say is that anyone could be where Starmer is and be failing. Labour is a spent force after giving in to woke students over their actual voters, and now it’s 10+ years for Boris.

[@joylloyd6636]

@@peaceandlove1255 Oh dear, I see we can never agree. I know from long experience that no amount of debating with you will change your opinions, or indeed, mine. So, peace and love?

[@peaceandlove1255]

@@joylloyd6636 I agree. However, I’m always interested in who you think would be a better leader?

[@invernessfan3017]

Starmer is a sensible socialist. I think the public will grow to like him. We need to be patient.

[@Jay_Johnson]

He needs to actually campaign, his is too reactionary. ( not the political type the strategic type)

[@tomgraham3206]

2015 is the forgotten election. I think people went for the safe bet in the Tories (not my choice) after just one term in power and a economic recovery starting, but that election was so much a turning point. Had the Tories not won an overall majority, there would have been no EU referendum, then quite probably no Corbyn...

[@theLukedishwasher]

I like Ed Miliband. Haven’t got time right now to hear the whole interview, hope he doesn’t go pro-Starmer/anti-Corbyn - I reserve the right to come back and edit that to state the opposite.

[@BramAPoe]

Owen, did you reference "The Picture Of Dorian Grey" using Tony Blair's portrait as a stand-in? WOW.... I was thinking of writing a sketch earlier, about Starmer having Blair's portrait in his attic, which he consults as his main 'focus group' for the direction of the Labour Party. ------- Well thought out reference.

[@SoozUK]

That's a Spitting Image sketch from 1996, look it up.

[@AB-zl4nh]

We need a Progressive Alliance to introduce Proportional Representation.

[@CO-yy2rv]

Losers alliance. The Tories are currently polling at 46%, even by popular vote the Tories will win if trends continue ;)

[@sarahhamilton6253]

If there was PR at the moment, Labour would do terribly, centrist would vote Lib Dem and many left wingers would go green. There’s a reason Labour would never support PR.

[@TheYopogo]

I get that Ed's in the shadow cabinet, so he has to defend the leadership, but he really cannot seriously believe his defence of Starmer. The current leadership is dire. Loving Ed's general direction since the end of his leadership.

[@lindafirth1562]

I've missed Ed!

[@jamietulacz7742]

Great interview- Ed is very likeable and has some great ideas! Would have been interesting to push him more on why these bold ideas didn't come through when he was leader- I'd suspect the internal dynamics of the Labour Party- i.e. the strong Blairite core

[@bigmajstudios409]

Great interview. Ed Miliband did great up until you asked him about policy

[@roddychristodoulou9111]

For as long as labour elect millionaires as leader of the party they stand no chance to win power . The Labour Party is for working class people and therefore should be run by working class people .

[@MegaRockstar48]

You say that so why are working class communities voting for the extreme corrupt Eton toff party of the rich???.....I’d agree with you but the voters are doing the opposite

[@manfrombritain6816]

@@mblack422 absolutely nailed it. The biggest fans of the left are always middle class mini-megalomaniacs that think they know best.

[@andygardner5810]

I'm glad he ditched that immigration mug for the Moomins.

[@vercingetorix1557]

Forget David, let's get Ed back!!!!

[@george49632]

Remember when Ed defends Starmer he's working from the premise that divided parties loses elections and he believes Starmer to be better than Boris. We shall see but dont currently have too much faith. I get the sense Ed is a bit too loyal to Labour's leadership regardless of the time

[@danhowdle9508]

Ed came across really well here. Wil? Add his book to my reading list. Thanks Owen.

[@daubreyjaneweirdsley]

Still defending the "Invisible man, with barely an outline," Keir Starmer.

[@wordscaninspire114]

Ed 🧡 remains totally fanciable in my humble opinion - studied his father Ralph's books years ago on my degree - he transformed my thinking for life on everything - would lurv to meet Ed in person (dream on) 🧡

[@sososoprano1]

I (almost) met him once when he was doing a speaking tour, turning up on high streets doing little impromptu meetings with whoever happened to be passing. I really warmed to him, because then he WAS being himself, answering questions honestly, with no advisors steering him away from that. He definitely came across as more left wing than I’d been led to believe from the image he’d been told to project. Because of that afternoon, I can easily empathise with you thinking he’s fanciable!

[@adamwissen8612]

Labour picked the wrong brother! Terry Starmer would be 20 points ahead 😆

[@stevefaulkner9391]

The only Miliband that gets shelf space in my house is Ralph Miliband, a REAL socialist!

[@rohitballal5654]

😆

[@drhonknbonk5798]

I often wonder if he regrets saying he wouldnt team up with the snp to oust the Tories. That one line killed all hopes of him getting votes in Scotland

[@wall-e7179]

English arrogance. Not hating, just how it is.

[@RC-pt3lx]

Er no. Please google 'the Vow'

[@Jay_Johnson]

@@wall-e7179 forming a coalition with the SNP means a year of government till the SNP leaves and the majority is lost. You cannot form a coalition with a party which does not want to participate in the political system.

[@elliemccarthy3487]

David would of won & I’m left wing , we can all shout from the left what’s wrong ,yet we want to be elected

[@mechasartre3694]

Loooooool stop larping

[@1Geeked]

Chaos with ed milliband

[@jethrodykes4853]

Ed Miliband is numero uno......

[@user-gn6wz9fe1c]

ed Miliband is based now ?

[@seancarr8652]

The Last labour leader I voted for

[@dominicaaaaa5547]

Did you vote for starmer?

[@joemc9683]

Big fan of Ed

[@ayeshaakram3503]

I don’t have much information about British politics, so can you plz provide background. And subtitles plz

[@caneandabel]

Love how adept Ed is at constantly mentioning ‘the book’ 😂

[@user-qw2kr8xz7z]

Labour in i's current form fails to talk to working class people. This is the reality. The only thing Starmer's Labour retained is the Green new deal without talking to how this will improve the lives of the everyday woman and man. Working class people who worry about day to day problems, are going to be less concerned with a green future. We should start by talking to the basic needs of normal people and how we will improve their lives. Voters choosing the Tories is not to do with the Tories, it's the failure of Labour's right forgetting about why our party exists.

[@importantjohn]

Complete historical revisionism. He didn't lose the election because he was 'not radical enough' it was because he was too radical for the electorate at that time. Labour had just spent a fortunate on the financial crisis, generated massive public debt, and the electorate largely blamed Labour for economic mismanagement. If he had gone 'bigger' he would of lost bigger.

[@dwaynericketts882]

Absolutely no mention of Corbyn or his policies.

[@johnthepotato6632]

SANDWICH MAN AYYYYYYYY

[@crayontom9687]

Having watched Starmer of late, I’m a bit cynical about all this. It’s easy to come up with ‘big ideas’ when you’re nowhere near power and don’t have to take responsibility for delivering it. A bit harsh, as I like Miliband, but what influence is he having on Starmer with these ideas?

[@Jay_Johnson]

Better fail in power than succeed in opposition.

[@inco9943]

interview kind of fell apart towards the end where you started going from well thought out questions to vague accusations - but otherwise great from both

[@berny2120]

How disappointing! I was so excited when he took over the leadership in 2010. In his 5 years as leader he fudged, compromised and underwhelmed! He should be one of the people taking the LP to a brighter future. I just don´t think he has what it takes. Again having listened to him waffle and fudge and dodge again on this programme, I can see he is part of the problem, not the solution! So sad!

[@misterapb7277]

@owenjones - disappointed that you -or anyone else- might be distracted by performative/gesture politics without substance. I thought you'd use the moomins mug to address Milliband's ‘Farage wannabe mugs’ and the recent flag hugging strategy. Did he share his advisors with Starmer? We need more than a nice guy. What about a commitment to PR & PA?

[@davidspencer7254]

Ed, my favourite Labour politician since I got the vote ends with the hacked off face of someone who knows he can't defend Keir without fibbing, knows he snubbed the members choice Corbyn and he is backed into a corner due to choices under his control. Unless of course he really does back purging Labour of even the smallest broad church under Starmer? Its all a bit of a let down, and for that reason I'll borrow the book from the library.

[@nlpnick]

Labour already has a coalition of the left which it can build on, unfortunately the majority of the people who are against right wing values and policies don’t get representation in parliament. Labour must start fighting for proportional representation, the populist right promotes itself as the champion of democracy while systematically stripping people of their rights and dignity, first past the post voting system is extremely dangerous when a mainstream party has been hijacked by extremists and this is clearly the case with the tories.

[@matthewnewberry7275]

He was a prisoner of the Labour right. He might not have been a neo liberal or a Blairite but he wouldn’t have been allowed a more left agenda, even if you believe that was what he wanted.

[@FalcaoXTZ]

His policies were hardly far left anywau

[@abraxis20]

Personally, I regarded the Lib Dem manifesto as more left wing and voted accordingly.

[@Pomegranate_David]

So a coward then?

[@sheilamashali6426]

Ed Milliband was a complete loss as a labour leader, all I can remember is what he did to his own brother. Honourable he is not.

[@ac1dP1nk]

imagine if starmer wrote this book

[@sockpuppet563]

could Ed run again as leader? It would be unusual, but I think he could have a better crack at it with experience under his belt

[@robbiepethicksrightear3352]

I think it's unlikely as it would be too much risk for the party to take, shame he didn't win in 2015 though

[@sarahhamilton6253]

I disagree with criticising the government for meeting with Orban, if we only associated with leaders that support gay and trans rights and free media etc, you’d only be able to deal with about 30 countries. Pretty much all of Africa and Asia would be out of the question, same for South America. You’d literally just have a small number of white majority countries left.

[@Jack-ye6fm]

Give power away .... How about you start with proportional representation so the MPs in Westminister are actually representative of people's first choice.

[@Jack-ye6fm]

@@mblack422 They would have to restructure. It's not about what is best for one party or another just what the right thing to do is

[@Ivy-vv6zj]

Great stuff, but it's all just smoke and mirrors until the Labour Party backs the actual environmental legislation that we need; the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill put forward last parlimentary session by Caroline Lucas (and to be put forward again this session).

[@567secret]

28:05 "Provided opposition and held the government to account" How Ed? How?

[@freddyrobins3524]

Michael Portillo has let himself go.

[@GlennLeinster]

I like Ed;-) I don't trust the silent Starmer I won't be voting for labour until Jeremy Corbyn is back

[@JoelCornah]

Eddy Baby!

[@FelonyBellend]

Why isn't this man leader of the Labour Party again? I'm a socialist who gave Starmer a chance, and deeply regret it, but id vote for Ed and have a feeling hed be able to bring the left back t the party while holding the right close too

[@sidevans1]

the left spent five years screaming TORY LITE at him, would be the same again. No labour leader is allowed to try to appeal to anyone outside the labour left.

[@schrire39]

I agree with almost everything Ed has to say but (and it's not an insignificant but) his style and way of talking is that of a man stuck on the hustings. If he (and others like him) want to persuade and win support, they need to abandon the Blair "youth support worker" voice and mannerisms.

[@Bjorn2055]

Looks like a teenager in his bedroom for the first time discovering, there is a whole wide world out there with lots of weird people. 😱😜😂

[@Kayzef2003]

But his snot alone has more brain cells than the huge expanse between your ears.

[@juliewake4585]

This felt very much that Ed wasn’t really challenged in an awful lot of his comments.

[@arifjamal5841]

2017 and 2019 manifestos should sue Miliband for copyright infringement. Shame Owen didn't push Ed on this rather obvious case of plagiarism

[@mechasartre3694]

18 at the time, I would have voted for him if not for the immigration mug and attitudes to the like.

[@Pomegranate_David]

Is he any different from a AOC, a whole lot of word salad and capitulation to the establishment. Next.

[@joanachanter171]

Love most shows and most guests but, once in a while, I just get totally clueless to why you do some shows or give some people a space and a ‘megaphone’.. This one with Ed Miliband has got to be up there on leaving me a bit clueless to what you stand for and I’m definitely not a ‘purist’ (but also one can’t stretch it so much it makes no sense whatsoever)..

[@DaraM73]

How his mum is keeping well.

[@oo0O08]

Ed Miliband has no right being this funny

[@pete246785]

His vision is not the same as Lambeth labour's vision. I like Ed but he speaks what his vision is but is not necessarily the wider labour party's!

[@keldaninc]

Can't speak to the agenda.....that's just talk....gotta deliver and make people believe in you......I am not a labour supporter but talk is cheap....heart soul and realistic expression of delivery is everything.....please get past the talk

[@tomgraham3206]

Ed Miliband is the only person who's remotely reassuring in the Shadow Cabinet. I expect he'll be marginalised with this sort of talk.

[@RC-pt3lx]

Labour needs to stop banging their head against the Red Wall. Voter churn is normal. Give up on the Red Wall (why continue to pander to racists?)and look to new sources of Labour voters further South.

[@GoogleUser-lk6xn]

The red wall aren’t racists, in fact they have broadly the same social views as the rest of the country

[@GoogleUser-lk6xn]

@@gladmilk3692 you’re never going to get the cities in this generation, stop dreaming

[@RC-pt3lx]

@@gladmilk3692 Yes, your friend Sadiq Khan is mopping up his mess in response.

[@RC-pt3lx]

@@mblack422 What if it's true?

[@GoogleUser-lk6xn]

@@gladmilk3692 yep the most progressive and diverse city in the world voted in a left wing mayor for two terms then a fiscally conservative Tory for two terms.

[@nickstanton1090]

A rather nauseating love-in of no consequence.

[@LesleySnipes87]

I am amazed you don't need I.D to vote - cant buy a Rebull without one

[@jayjames7055]

7.20 Solutions to political ..... But the question was how does the left become more internet savvy (cf Hitlers' exploitation of the new fangled radio).

[@richardwilliams3308]

There’s plenty of industry and jobs around for young people. Just that it is not trad unionized jobs which labour relies on. Labour needs to move on from this whole solidarity union rhetoric. It is alienating even working class people

[@jamessherburn]

Ed, did encouragement for you to run against your brother come from the Right?

[@lordbrit4630]

first

[@MegaRockstar48]

He’s a nice guy, the biggest mistake was not stepping to one side and letting his brother take the party forward. His brother is the best pm that we haven’t had the chance to have.

[@robertmaitland09]

Hope he wasn't wearing jeans...

[@lololol112]

Ed "I talk about that in the book" Milliband

[@philsophkenny]

🤔

[@rufusdashiell2706]

Ed Miliband is a likeable guy with half a clue about priorities, but he rambles on and on and on. And the positive way he speaks about Starmer lacks all credibility. I suppose that's inevitable given that he's a member of Starmer's cabinet but he should tone it down. Starmer is a nasty piece of work going nowhere.

[@_eddcarr_]

If Keir's team spent as long on policy as they do on getting MPs to parrot empty platitudes in his defense we might have an actual opposition

[@jrphartley]

The interview being anything other than "Starmer? Seriously Ed, WTAF?!' Makes this cosy chat mere access journalism. Why Jones troubles himself to speak to the establishment of the party, when it needs rooted out, is a mystery.

[@specialistcarmarketing]

Who? I'm not sure sure if I'm sensing irrelevance or delusion.

[@sebastianmcmillan3276]

second

[@lesleybyron662]

This is just empty hot air for those of us who have suffered a devastating decade of unimaginable poverty, hardship and deliberate exclusion. Not that the previous decade was that much better. Owen and Ed inhabit a different world from some of the workplaces and neighbourhoods where antisocial behaviour, violence, intimidation, prejudice and racism is commonplace, where whistleblowing is re-framed as an act of self-harm. The Tories speak to that constituency couched in the rhetoric of nationalism, patriotism and anti-EU demagoguery. They have created the toxic politics of socioeconomic division and the hatred that festers when people are locked out of opportunity and hope for the future. The Labour Party have allowed that to happen. For the left politics is just another theatrical event, a fishing expedition. People with no realistic possibility of improving their lives become cynical at best or the new acolytes of the far right at worst. The left are not filling the space.

[@Effective_tool_of_Satan]

Ed believed in balancing the budget if I'm not mistaken. That's a mistake.

[@1987jock]

If you don't ask him about anti semitism in labour I will be indescribably disappointed...

[@johnstevenson5405]

Lots of filler words from Ed, very little substance.

[@CO-yy2rv]

Isn't that the left in general? Filled with the occasional reference to Palestine and identity politics? LOL

[@CO-yy2rv]

@@lookandlisten5740 Actually on reflection maybe it is a bit more than occasional haha