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Ed Miliband Revs Up The Troops Before Labour Conference With Best 'Blue Steel'

Ed Miliband Does 'Blue Steel' Before Labour Conference
Huffington Post UK/PA
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Ed Miliband promised to set out his "new plan" for a Britain yearning for change in a carefully stage-managed rallying cry before the party's annual gathering.

As the last pre-election political conference season gets under way, Mr Miliband said Britain "needs a change of government and we are going to do it".

But in addressing activists gathering in Manchester, one couldn't help but think the Labour leader was trying a little bit hard to appear prime ministerial and leader-like.

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Striking a pose: Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine before the Labour Party's annual conference

In other recent episodes of 'Ed Miliband in public', he's struggled mightily to look normal while eating a bacon sandwich and was forced to call off a pre-referendum walkabout in Edinburgh after being mobbed... by angry Yes voters.

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A model leader: Ed Miliband outside the Midland Hotel

We shouldn't forget of course that Miliband has previously dismissed claims of 'weirdness', insisting he'd prefer to be substance over style rather.

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Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine at their hotel in Manchester ahead of the Labour Party's annual conference in the city

But pictures from the conference today would indicate image is certainly front of mind for the seemingly ineffectual Labour leader.

Ed Miliband Does Blue Steel At The Labour Conference
Labour annual conference 2014(01 of09)
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Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine arrive at Midland Hotel in Manchester before the start of the Labour Party's annual conference. (credit:Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(02 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband (C), the Leader of the Labour Party, is watched by his wife Justine Thornton (centre-left) as he addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(03 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband, the Leader of the Labour Party, addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(04 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband (C), the Leader of the Labour Party, is watched by his wife Justine Thornton (centre-left) as he addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)
Labour annual conference 2014(05 of09)
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Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine at their hotel in Manchester ahead of the Labour Party's annual conference in the city. (credit:Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(06 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband (C), the Leader of the Labour Party, is watched by his wife Justine Thornton (centre-left) as he addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(07 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband, the Leader of the Labour Party, addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(08 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband (R), the Leader of the Labour Party, is watched by his wife Justine Thornton (L) as he addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)
Ed Miliband Arrives At The Annual Labour Party Conference(09 of09)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Ed Miliband (C), the Leader of the Labour Party, is watched by his wife Justine Thornton (L) as he addresses supporters outside the Midland Hotel, adjacent to the Labour Party Conference venue, on September 20, 2014 in Manchester, England. The four-day annual Labour Part Conference officially opens in Manchester tomorrow and is expected to attract thousands of delegates with keynote speeches from influential politicians and over 500 fringe events. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Oli Scarff via Getty Images)

The Labour gathering in Manchester begins with a women's conference addressed by deputy leader Harriet Harman, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper and shadow equalities minister Gloria De Piero, before the main conference gets under way tomorrow.

Blue Steel: The Original from Zoolander

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