Edward Miliband discussed as Starmer pressure grows over Mandelson
edward miliband is being discussed in Labour as a possible replacement for Sir Keir Starmer if pressure on the prime minister becomes severe. The Energy Secretary, who led the party from 2010 to 2015, has also criticized the vetting procedure that made Peter Mandelson US Ambassador.
Starmer and Mandelson
Mandelson had links to Epstein, and Miliband’s criticism of the appointment has become part of the wider argument inside Labour over Starmer’s judgment. Calls that Starmer’s position is untenable have come from Labour MPs, Kemi Badenoch and others, putting the leadership question into open view.
Miliband is not a new name to Labour members. He was known as “Red Ed” during his leadership, and he unveiled the “Ed Stone” with commitments engraved on a giant stone. The same figure now looks more usable to some MPs because he is seen as popular in the party, popular outside it with young people, and possibly more pragmatic than that old label suggested.
May Local Elections
The immediate pressure point is May, when local elections are expected to be a wipeout for Labour. That forecast leaves Starmer exposed to criticism from inside and outside the party, while the Conservatives are described as posing no threat unless Kemi Badenoch turns things around for the Tories.
Other alternatives carry their own limits. Wes Streeting is thought not to have enough support to stand in a leadership contest. Andy Burnham was told to back off and would need to be elected back to parliament before he could enter any contest to replace Starmer. Angela Rayner is still waiting for the HMRC investigation to conclude.
Labour Leadership Field
The wider field also narrows the debate around Miliband. Ed Davey and the Liberal Democrats always do well in local elections, while Zack Polanski’s Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK are described as the greatest threat to Starmer.
Labour history also hangs over the argument. The article says far-left leaders such as Michael Foot and Jeremy Corbyn have never delivered an electoral victory for Labour, even though Corbyn did well in the 2015 general election and later lost the 2019 general election to Boris Johnson. If Starmer weakens further, the party may reach for a familiar name with less baggage than some of the other contenders.
