Ed Miliband's conference speech live stream

[FrancesMumsnet]

Live stream of Ed Miliband's speech here if you're interested:

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

[SpringierSpaniel]

I thought his speech held promise........ promise that is of "Jam tomorrow".

We all know that Labour's last long period of sole custody of the foodstore cupboard, despite being a period when there was real jam and virtual jam aplenty, has left the UK with no chance of even "Lidl value jam" to put on our collective bread for the forseeable future.

[somebloke123]

Yes when the cupboard is bare it's hard to see what the point of Labour is.

[LilyBolero]

The 'one nation' line was not just 'penned for him by some scriptwriter'.

It was a direct reference to Benjamin Disraeli, who famously used it, and who was a Tory. It is intended to show that the party that is interested in governing for the WHOLE country and not just for the 'elite' is now the Labour party.

And coming a week before the Tory party conference, it is a very potent line to take. They somehow have to prove they are not just on the side of millionaires (who they are giving £££ of tax cuts to) but also on the side of those on housing benefit, the disabled, the vulnerable and the poor. But to those people they cut their benefits and say 'get back to work'. Never mind the lack of jobs, or the sheer impossibility of going back to work.

I thought Ed did well. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and what will be the decider for Ed is what their manifesto at the next election is. The questions to ask will be 'what is their plan', 'what does it cost' and 'will it work'.

It is not possible for them to do that yet, because who knows what a dog's breakfast Gideon can make of the UK economy between now and then? But the promises made for the next election from all parties are the things to judge them on.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Disraeli never used the phrase 'one nation'. He used the phrase 'two nations' in his book of the same name.

[LilyBolero]

That's splitting hairs, no idea if that is correct or not, but his philosophy was that of one nation.

One Nation Conservatism under Disraeli

[notenoughsocks]

I was going to make a similar point, Lily.

I think the point there was that he was quite obviously - and it was supposed to be obvious- happy to be seen stealing the Conservative's clothes - the attractive ones at least. FWIW, I probably associate one-nation conservatism more closely with the post-war consensus era. Apparent shared prosperity, no crazy radicalism, that sort of thing.

I enjoyed Ed's speech (the bits I saw). But then, I would: I am a Labour supporter. I started watching it with a slightly pained yet hopeful look on my face. I usually adopt this expression when I watch him speak. Normally it just slides into mild disapointment. I quite liked the contents of the speech but, in truth, I think I just felt relieved for him when he managed to pull off a half decent performance and even managed to get some people laughing.

[notenoughsocks]

Just read that back and thought I'd better be clear. I don't normally get disapointed by what Ed Milliband is saying. I think a lot of it, although it sounds like a work in progress, sounds quite thoughtful and construtive and I tend to agree with much of it.
What disappoints me is his delivery. Probably not up there anyhhow usually. Wen thinking of him in terms of leading the Opposition in to a General Election it seems appalling since image and playable soundbites seem to be so so so important these days.

[LilyBolero]

The interesting thing about Ed Miliband is that a lot of what he says is decent stuff. And looking back over his time as the leader of the Labour party, there are a significant number of times that he has been ridiculed by the Tories for what he's said, but it's rung true with the electorate, and then the Tories have HAD to think about it, and sometimes even acted. He is setting the agenda a lot of the time.

His delivery isn't as polished as Dave's. But then Dave had a background in PR. And tbh, Dave REALLY is the epitome of an empty vessel - there is nothing to back up the polish. Give it a rub and the edifice collapses.

As a bit of an aside; before the 2010 election, Dave was asked why he wanted to be PM - he said "Well, I think I'd be quite good at it"....! And he also said "How hard can it be???"

Say no more.

[LilyBolero]

One Nation = No Etonian

[Brycie]

He is so annoying. Looks like such a tool.

[Brycie]

The reason so many young people can't get jobs now is entirely his party's fault, or its ideology anyway - ie it's a generation of under-educated people! You only got a decent grounding if you had decent parents to help and teach you. Pure elitism in my opinion.

[Brycie]

Annoying little tick. Have I made myself ABSOLUTELY CLEAR

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

"His delivery isn't as polished as Dave's"

And, like it or not, politicians sink or swim by their persona. Michael Foot also had interesting things to say but got tagged as a scarecrow and never recovered. Cameron may have more style than substance but at least that's getting it the right way round for the X Factor generation.

[Davros]

If you want to see a dog's breakfast of the economy you only have to go back to the last Labour Govt, Gordon Brown and his henchmen David Milliband and Ed Ballsup

[MadBusLady]

I don't think I'd put Miliband in the same camp as Michael Foot, to be honest. Disagree with him or not, the man had principles and you were in no doubt as to what they were.

Quite a rare commodity now, that.