Why All the Anti-Ed Miliband Polls in the World Don't Matter

As the Tories engage in intra-Party bloodletting, Labour remains quiet and at least outwardly behind Miliband. All politicians know that electorates do not reward split Parties. The Tories are scared. Meanwhile there's Ed Miliband, Labour leader now and into the 2015 General election. I'd advise those laughing at him to wise up.

Another day, another bad personal poll for Ed Miliband.

The right of centre press are having their usual field day, beating the drums about how truly awful and hopeless he is.

Recently, a poll was conducted that even said that Gordon Brown, the wrecker, many believe, of the entire economy of the western world, was better than Miliband the Lesser.

The man's a living Wallace and Gromit cartoon, many people chant, much too weird to be PM. The media dig up all of the bad pics they can find, give him no air time, rustle out every Blairite they can to take him down, but - looky there - Miliband is still standing.

And if Osborne doesn't get the economy right, Miliband will be PM, too. The smart Tories and pollsters know this. You won't hear them laughing.

The late William Rees-Mogg, in one of his last columns, wrote about a meeting he had had with Miliband. His pronouncement: Ed could be the next PM. Rees-Mogg, as much of a Labourite as I am a Tory, at that stage of his life, had no skin in the game. He was simply telling it like he saw it. And what he saw was Edward Samuel Miliband at the door of Number 10.

I was invited to the 2010 Labour Conference, the one in which Ed beat his brother David.

It is said that if you want to hear real anti-Americanism, listen to an American. If you want to hear the Labour Party done down, go to a Blairite. And that day in the hall, waiting for Ed to speak, all of the Blairites around me emitted the sound of wailing and the gnashing of teeth. The end had come.

Ed's acceptance speech was ok. Nothing special. Afterwards at the supper, he moved amongst the tables, shaking hands, thanking everyone. Just as the woman who he saved from a bike accident said recently, the camera doesn't capture who the guy is. As he shook my hand, it was clear to me that, no matter what, here was a focused and confident person. He didn't seem to me like a person who pays a whole lot of attention to polls or the press.

The real question is this: is what he wants any good for the nation?

We've yet to know much, yet to test this out. Any party in Opposition has to be careful. Standpoints can be appropriated, policies nicked.

In the UK's increasingly Presidential style of politics (Cameron even has a portable podium that screams "President") we're asked constantly who we want as PM. Problem is that this is a parliamentary democracy. The people don't directly elect the PM. The question is moot.

Sothe fact that Cameron consistently polls ahead of his party, in the end, doesn't really count. Our local MP does. And nobody - neither left nor right or nowhere - like the Tories right now.

Cameron, smart PR guy that he is, is trying to build a new constituency, a new base. He knows that the party is at a demographic and electoral disadvantage. It needs new blood, a fresh start.

But as the Tories engage in intra-Party bloodletting, Labour remains quiet and at least outwardly behind Miliband. All politicians know that electorates do not reward split Parties. The Tories are scared.

Nigel Farage himself may enter the House of Commons, but the fact is Ukip's likelihood of holding the whiphand in 2015 as far as No. 10 are concerned is zip. They can't win enough MPs to count. The system ensures this. What they can do and are doing is destroy the Conservatives' right flank. Ukip are inflicting damage on everyone, but it's the Tories who are getting the kicking.

Nevertheless, when the General Election comes around, it'll be, once again, all about the big dogs - Labour and the Conservatives. Just like it always was.

Meanwhile there's Ed Miliband, Labour leader now and into the 2015 General election. I'd advise those laughing at him to wise up.

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