The Labour leadership has hit back at “cowardly” attacks on Ed Miliband by anonymous MPs, warning that they will create the “worst of all worlds” in which his authority as a potential prime minister is undermined.
As senior Labour MPs revealed that at least 20 shadow ministers are prepared to call for Miliband to stand down if Alan Johnson indicates he is willing to stand for the leadership, the new shadow cabinet minister Lucy Powell challenged the critics to speak publicly.
In a sign of the deep unease at senior levels of the party after four days of internal criticism, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, Lucy Powell, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “What I would say to those people is be careful what you wish for. If … there are people that are concerned about Ed, yet don’t want a leadership contest, then what they are doing in briefing anonymously and, in my view, cowardly briefing newspapers – they are bringing about the worst of all worlds. So they need to decide what their plan is and get on with it either way.”
Powell spoke out after Miliband faced a fresh challenge as Labour MPs indicated that 20 frontbenchers are willing to go public with a demand for him to stand down if Johnson indicates that he would be prepared to step into the breach. The senior status of the potential rebels and their numbers represent another grievous blow to Miliband’s authority, after attempts by his aides to minimise the extent of dissatisfaction in the party.
The rebels are drawn from across the political spectrum within the party and say they are airing their discontent in response to attempts by Miliband’s aides to belittle the depth and reach of unhappiness among his MPs.
Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the former lord chancellor who is in charge of Labour’s preparations for government, said on Sunday there was “zero chance” of a change of leadership.
But Powell indicated that the internal criticism is damaging Miliband. Speaking on Pienaar’s Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live, Powell said: “These things often feed themselves. When you have continuing anonymous stories being floated around that somehow Ed has lost the confidence of his MPs, that feeds a wider concern in the public whether he has the leadership qualities to lead his own party, let alone the country. So that doesn’t help.”
The shadow cabinet minister issued a put-up-or-shut-up challenge to Miliband’s critics. She said: “They are feeding the beast and they are feeding the monster in terms of the press. That is the worst of all worlds – that we continue to have this conversation in this way. So show your colours and put names to quotes or let’s just move on and have a different conversation.”
Powell spoke out after Tristram Hunt, the shadow education secretary, denied a report in the Mail on Sunday that he had criticised Miliband in private. He said: “This is total nonsense and untrue. As I made clear in a full round of media interviews on Friday, Ed Miliband is the right person to lead Labour and the right person to lead Britain.
“We are focused on the big issues that matter – the cost of living crisis, the NHS and ending the low-wage, low-skill economy. Labour is united under Ed Miliband’s leadership.”
The Mail on Sunday quoted Hunt as saying: “I never believed the answer to Labour’s problems was to show people more of Ed Miliband. It was a ridiculous idea dreamed up by his advisers who have served him badly. It has been a complete failure. It is making things worse, not better. Ed has excellent qualities but that is not the way to show them. It is absurd.”
On Saturday, three senior Labour MPs contacted the Observerto confirm that the frontbenchers were ready to strike. One said: “It has reached critical mass now.” Another said: “There isn’t a letter [demanding Miliband’s resignation] but there could be one very quickly.” A third said: “There is a significant number of frontbenchers who are concerned about Ed’s leadership – or lack of leadership – and would be ready to support someone who is a viable candidate. Alan is that candidate. If Alan indicated he would do it, there would be a massive move.”
The development comes as an Opinium/Observer poll suggests that, for the first time, less than half of Labour voters (49%) approve of Miliband’s leadership – although the party is on 32%, still ahead of the Tories by three points.
