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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU in asking if you have DCs close in age do you agree Ed Milliband is a backstabber for competing with his brother?

61 replies

howabout · 08/04/2015 23:47

I have 2 teenage DDs close in age with quite similar talents but dissimilar personalities and outlooks. I would never expect one to stand aside for the other and although they support each other they are both strong bpartly because they always have a sibling to stand up to. If I were Ed and David's Mum I would be very proud to produce 2 DCs capable of running to be PM and I would fully expect them to compete.

OP posts:
Discounted · 09/04/2015 08:13

I don't think OP is saying he is/was backstabbing, but expressing surprise at the amount of press there has been to that effect.

I'd struggle with it as their mother. Not that they both wanted to run, but the way David was almost a dead cert until his brother stepped up, the timing seemed a bit off. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be right, but I'd have no clue how to handle it!

Ultimately, I do think the party got the better man (of the two) and therefore could argue that Ed was morally obliged to run Grin

OrlandoWoolf · 09/04/2015 08:55

Is Kay Burley a political commentator?

The way she behaved in the recent debate was so biased. "Let's all applaud our Prime Minister"

"You got some applause, let's see if that lasts".

notinagreatplace · 09/04/2015 09:05

I don't get why no-one seems to think that David stabbed Ed in the back by running. Does the public really think that being the oldest in a family means you get precedence?

Plaudertasche · 09/04/2015 09:06

YANBU OP. I think he is a backstabber too.
I can't trust someone who shafted their own flesh and blood.
I am an older sibling. I wonder if it is the younger siblings who don't see anything wrong in Ed's actions. Just a thought....

Kampeki · 09/04/2015 09:11

plauder, they both had the same ambition. Why do you think David had a right to go for the leadership while Ed should have held back?

ApocalypseNowt · 09/04/2015 09:13

Plauder please can you tell us what was wrong about Ed's actions? As far as i can see he stood for leadership of a political party and won. Anything i'm missing?

DrankSangriaInThePark · 09/04/2015 09:14

I remember reading that Ma Miliband is a bit ashamed of the pair of them for not being left-wing enough.

Kay Burley is the political version of Ferne Cotton and Holly Wollybilly and therefore her opinion (in mine) counts for jack.

TarkaTheOtter · 09/04/2015 09:15

I'm an older (the oldest in fact) sibling and don't think it was backstabbing or inappropriate.

Plaudertasche · 09/04/2015 09:24

If Ed had any sense he would know that the Labour Party under David would be far more likely to be re-elected that under him. Ed's personal ratings have consistently been abysmal whereas David's were always positive.
Standing for election was a self centred thing - not for the good of the party or country or family.
So, bearing in mind the rational view of why he shouldn't stand - there is also the emotional one. He stood against his brother. He could have waited and said "now is not my time". Especially in light of the fact that his being leader is more likely to lead to Labour not being elected.
David was the senior politician in terms of experience so again, Ed should have held back and thought 'my time will come'.
Not only that but the PLP were behind David and it was only the Union vote that got Ed in by a whisker.
I also get the feeling that they should have had face to face conversations about the whole thing before the election itself and that never happened. That is the bit that I find backstabby. Lack of openness and communication between siblings.

FarFromAnyRoad · 09/04/2015 09:31

Kay Burley is a national embarrassment

This.

I always wonder what she knows - or who she 'knows' - how else would anyone get that job by being as resolutely ghastly as she is?

JassyRadlett · 09/04/2015 09:39

David had marginally more ministerial experience.

We're the other three who stood for the leadership also stabbing him in the back? Or was it just Ed who should have stepped back because they're brothers, and thus Ed's view on how to lead Labour and on policy (quite different from his brother's) should have been chucked in a dustbin? How principled would that have been? 'Yes, I do think you're quite misguided on quite a few things, but you're my big brother, so oh, go on then, have a go.'

Eldest child here, btw.

Icimoi · 09/04/2015 09:44

Is Kay Burley still whinging on about this? It was 5 years ago FGS, get over it.

Imnotbeingyourbestfriendanymor · 09/04/2015 10:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hauntedhenry · 09/04/2015 10:11

No. Ed was elected, end of story.

Discounted · 09/04/2015 10:47

Michael Fallon, defence secretary's been at it this morning It doesn't seem to have gone well for him...at least no on the BBC

squoosh · 09/04/2015 10:51

Ah, if only Kay Burley had had her own sibling called Cain.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 09/04/2015 10:54

No, if both my children wanted to be leader of the Labour party I'd be delighted!
Each did it knowing the other might lose - if anyone could have behaved better, it's David, who if he were mine would have been expected to be more publicly vocal about his lack of sour grapes and his congratulations.

squoosh · 09/04/2015 10:58

Who knows how bitter it got between them behind closed doors. I honestly don't know if I'd be all 'Yo bruv, proud of you' if I'd been so publicly trounced by my brother.

areyoubeingserviced · 09/04/2015 11:53

As far as I am concerned , Ed Milliband chose politics over family .
His actions must have had an adverse effect on the family .

Lottapianos · 09/04/2015 12:03

Dear god, I actually cannot believe that people are still banging on about this. It was FIVE years ago and also, NONE of other people's business. Why on earth should Ed have 'stood aside' for his brother? Because he's his brother? Well boo hoo. Because David is older? Don't be ridiculous. Stop asking Ed about it and expecting him to wash his private and no doubt painful dirty linen in public

It was a democratic election and Ed won. People really need to get over it. And what the Miliband's mother thinks about it all has got nothing to do with the price of eggs.

'Kay Burley is a national embarrassment'

A thousand times yes to this.

squoosh · 09/04/2015 12:04

What their mother thinks about it may have nothing to do with the price of eggs but I still wonder.

juliascurr · 09/04/2015 12:04

are you Hmm the Miliband family are all political

Discounted · 09/04/2015 12:09

I've never heard of Kay Burley...

stoopstoconker · 09/04/2015 12:11

My thought is that the 'brothers' thing is a red herring and what we're really saying is that UK politics has become like America and we care about style over substance. Ed has been in the media looking a bit gauche more often than David has.

I've had to google who the other candidates for leadership were at the time because everyone focused on the so-called sibling rivalry.

Lottapianos · 09/04/2015 12:12

I understand you wondering squoosh but Burley making that comment about 'your poor mother' was really disgusting.