Behind the Copenhagen summit scenes with Ed Miliband

Delegates in the conference hall where a 'closed door' intergovernmental preparatory meeting is held in Copenhagen ahead of the main conference in December. 'What really defines my time in Copenhagen,' says Harris, 'is a thrice-daily ritual whereby I collar Miliband as he emerges from the formal negotiations, and try – in vain, usually – to get a firm idea of where the conversation has been going' Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband talks to a Swiss delegate in the conference hall. Miliband describes the difficulty of reaching an agreement in Copenhagen: 'Imagine if you knew 189 people, and you got them all together and said, "Here’s how we want you to run a significant part of your lives in the next 30 or 40 years – and by the way, you have to have unanimously agree that that’s how you want to do it' Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Chinese delegate Xie Zhenhua, left, and Indian delegate Jairam Ramesh (right) at the preparatory meeting in Copenhagen. John Harris noted that the Chinese and Indian delegations were seated together, and locked in conversation, over breakfast Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Danish prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (centre) visits the preparatory meeting, which was organised by the Danish government Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband during a break in negotiations. 'In the build up to December, he has been to China, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Bangladesh, as well as Poland, Russia, and France (before anyone asks, he and his team offset their flights),' says Harris Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband with Indian delegate Jairam Ramesh, India’s minister of state for environment and forests, who admits 'there is still a long way to go' to agree the talks Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband talking with US negotiator Todd Stern, 'an elusive, austere-looking man', according to Harris Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband with civil service climate change negotiator, Jan Thompson, and Pete Betts, the director of international climate change at the energy department, take a breather from the talks Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Press interview Danish environment minister Connie Hedegaard Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband welcomes German delegation to a breakfast meeting Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband and civil servant at a breakfast meeting with the German delegation watched by German security Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband and civil servants at a breakfast meeting with German delegation Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

Ed Milliband preparing for a Channel 4 interview at Danish TV studios with member of staff from the British embassy and his press officer Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband during Radio 5 live interview at Danish TV studios Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband preparing for C4 interview at Danish TV studios during COP15 intergovernmental preparatory meeting negotiations. '[He] submits to the obligatory make-up, does British TV and radio spots, frets about how quickly he talks, and attempts to face down scepticism and despondency at home,' says Harris Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Around midnight, Ed Milliband talks to civil servants after a day of preparatory meeting negotiations that started at 7.30am Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk

Ed Milliband back in Westminster for state opening of parliament a day after the meeting Photograph: Martin Argles/guardian.co.uk