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Ed Miliband's PMQs Joke-Writer Job Advertised For £60,000

Miliband

The Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 08/01/12 10:49 GMT Updated: 08/01/12 11:43 GMT

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Fancy writing jokes for Ed Miliband to use against David Cameron at PMQs? It could be yours in a matter of weeks, if you apply for this job here [PDF]. The leader of the opposition is looking for an "Executive Director, Rebuttal and Policy", to replace Ayesha Hazarika, who left last month.

The Labour leader has been judged a flop at PMQs in recent months, often failing to score wins on David Cameron during weeks when everything seemed to be going wrong for the government. The last PMQs before Christmas was a particularly bad one for Miliband, and all eyes will be on him this coming Wednesday for the first bout of 2012.

At £60,000 the money's not bad if you're used to the stand-up circuit, but we're not sure who would fill the role, given another part of the job is to "undertake regular horizon-scanning".

The tragedy for Ed Miliband is that so far this year Labour has given us plenty of laughs. Unfortunately they were politically damaging to the party, including on Thursday when Ed Miliband rang gaffe-prone shadow minister Diane Abbott whilst she was live on Sky News, lending the impression she was running away from the cameras.

And then of course there's "Blackbusters", which was a PR disaster, again with its origins in Twitter.

It's a tough job being leader of the opposition, but this job being advertised looks almost as tough, given the job description. And whoever gets it has, it's widely agreed, a mountain to climb to improve Ed Miliband's image after a poor start to 2012 for Labour.

Ed Miliband's press and PR team is changing quite significantly. Ayesha Hazarika has left under a cloud and Polly Billington has jumped ship to go and fight to win back the Essex seat of Thurrock.

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Fancy writing jokes for Ed Miliband to use against David Cameron at PMQs? It could be yours in a matter of weeks, if you apply for this job here [PDF]. The leader of the opposition is looking for an...
Fancy writing jokes for Ed Miliband to use against David Cameron at PMQs? It could be yours in a matter of weeks, if you apply for this job here [PDF]. The leader of the opposition is looking for an...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Handyman 123
27 Fans
04:22 PM on 09/22/2012
You can have the best script writers in the world, but if your delivery and timing as well as the ability to read an audience and Ad-Lib are none existent you will fall flat every time.

Now if he wants some good one liners as well a soul stirring speeches maybe he should employ
Grant Shapps to do a cut and paste job on some of Churchill's old material.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Edgar H
Keep the Press free!
95 Fans
01:24 AM on 06/04/2012
Well it can't possibly be a surprise that he needs help telling a joke, he's a humourless sod at the best of times. Now if he makes a quip he'll be asked who wrote it for him.
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Chris Mack222k
13 Fans
05:12 PM on 04/08/2012
""Ayesha Hazarika may have left under a cloud, but she's after the job of East Lothian MP. Just what we need - another comedian in parliament.""

At least we will get to here some jokes, instead of being the joke under cameron!
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Chris Mack222k
13 Fans
05:10 PM on 04/08/2012
Sorry but why are we paying out for people to tell jokes, this government is a joke to start with.
they've all got a personality disorder.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE! And sack the lot!
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Floochicoo
6 Fans
02:14 PM on 02/17/2012
Milliband is the biggest joke.
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RunAwayHorse
0 Fans
12:37 PM on 01/09/2012
What's really sad, is that I had been a Labour supporter for 40 plus years, up until the last election when, following the debacle and dissaray that the Party was in, I voted Conservative both for my own sanity and, for what I perceived would be the the very best future option for the country.

When I look at the new labour leader, I feel that he lacks any sense of gravitas, any sense of leadership and as far as employing a 'new joke writer' - he really doesn't need to, as his performances so far, make him the biggest joke of all. It breaks my heart to see such a great Party, whith such an illustrioius history, fall into such dissaray and, into an abyss of it's own making.

When you add into this toxic mix, the fact that this period in british politics, just seems to lack any real ethics, honesty and true commitment, to do the very best by the british people and this once truly great nation, together with the issues of future world population growth as expertly commented on within the following 8 minute videos on YouTube -

http://youtu.be/F-QA2rkpBSY ( Cut & Paste into your Browser )

I think that one gets a real and much truer sense of where we are all heading! : (
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alanps
46 Fans
10:38 PM on 04/08/2012
I will never vote Conservative, and never use an excuse to do so. Nevertheless Labour are currently unelectable and the damage Blair and his re-constructionist approach did will likely take a toll for years to come. Labour needs to be bold, to stand for what it believes in - not Tory lite...
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Gayle Force Winds
Want some wine with that micro-bio?
187 Fans
04:54 AM on 01/09/2012
Many of us would have a great laugh if we never had to hear or see Ed Miliband again. "The Labour Party" is now defined as "Ed's personal career plan." Any concept, any opposition, as long as it keeps him in front of the public. Funny stuff, unless worried about Britain's future.
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Star2000dancer
Pay it forward, the movie..
819 Fans
03:01 AM on 01/09/2012
Wow! The dude has 3D teeth.
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BigClive
20 Fans
09:16 PM on 01/08/2012
Is HPUK actually written by Conservative head office?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
wakyracir
My spaniel is watching you
96 Fans
08:38 PM on 01/08/2012
Ayesha Hazarika may have left under a cloud, but she's after the job of East Lothian MP. Just what we need - another comedian in parliament.
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Charley007
41 Fans
07:18 PM on 01/08/2012
I know just the person for this job.
Jeremy Clarkson that would set the place alight.
After first day Milliband would be out of a job and we could all rest.
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Boll X
33 Fans
05:55 PM on 01/08/2012
I think Ed Balls would be ideal he's a ---k--g joke, the money would come in handy to offset the cut in expenses
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Call Me Dave57
56 Fans
05:24 PM on 01/08/2012
In the current situation Bernard Manning would be ideal......sorry Bernard!
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Blindstu
132 Fans
03:06 PM on 01/08/2012
There is absolutely nothing to laugh about in the Labour party and not even their head clown can raise a smile on anyone's face.
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Diane Abbott
1 Fans
04:30 PM on 01/08/2012
Don't you believe it.

Ed is a great comedian. Each day he tells us that we will win the next election :)

Can't get better than that for a laugh . . . . . . .
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ideaville
I have sexdaily, I mean dyslexia, Danm!
251 Fans
10:39 PM on 01/08/2012
What's black and doesn't work?
Dianne abbott apologising!
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carneliancrystal
Do I believe all the propaganda of course I do
131 Fans
02:26 PM on 01/08/2012
All three parties are the biggest joke and unfortunately it's on us and it cost's us the British public.
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