Iain Dale's Diary: The Real Reason Miliband Said No
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Real Reason Miliband Said No

Iain Dale 6:57 AM

David Miliband's decision to pull out of the running for the EU High Representative's job is being over-interpreted. It has scant little to do with his so-called desire to lead the Labour Party. But it had everything to do with his two young sons. He already feels guilty every time he leaves home on a Monday morning. The travel involved in the EU job would have meant he could spend even less time with them.

It really is that simple.

24 Comments:

At November 10, 2009 7:41 AM , OpenID pete-s said...

Is this part of a plot to get Millipede as the next Labour leader. Next you will be telling us that the white froth down the sides of Broon's mouth is due to excessive teeth cleaning.

 
At November 10, 2009 7:36 AM , Blogger Nigel said...

I'm prepared to believe that.

Though I quite liked the explanation that it's another contest that he bottled.

 
At November 10, 2009 7:06 AM , Blogger Johnny Norfolk said...

Well soon he will be spendfing lots more time with his family. So its a win, win situation ,for him and for us.

 
At November 10, 2009 9:44 AM , Blogger the joker said...

Nothing to do with paving the way for Tony becoming EU President or EU Foreign Secretary then?

 
At November 10, 2009 9:24 AM , Blogger Sinbad the sailor said...

Could have been a nice little earner though and would have followed the well worn path of other former failed ex MP Labour party politicians

"To think Neil, Glenys, Mandy I could have been a millionaire"

 
At November 10, 2009 9:08 AM , Blogger Sceptical Steve said...

So, it appears that we have a Foreign Secretary whose family commitments mean that he expects to spend most of his time in London.
Does the job description for the UK's Foreign Secretary not stress that the successful candidate should expect to undertake a certain amount of overseas travel?

 
At November 10, 2009 8:51 AM , Blogger tapestry said...

Miliband has been looking and sounding a bit loopy lately. His eyes were near to manic while he was milifying david cameron over kaminski.

And now it looks as if he was wrong all along.

I guess political defeat is sobering him up, and he's had enough of the brain grinding involved in supporting the insupportable.

Is he Cameron's next scalp?

 
At November 10, 2009 8:13 AM , Blogger Hawkeye said...

If it is as you say Iain, then why did Miliband let the speculation grow that he was going for the post - or would at least accept it if offered?

Whatever his reason, and no matter how good it is, he will be marked as another ditherer just like his current boss.

He would have gained a LOT of kudos for saying publicly that his children and family were more important to him than jet setting around the world. It also would have made him look decisive and clearly be his own man.

At present he just looks silly and not everyone who thinks that will discover your blog entry.

 
At November 10, 2009 7:46 AM , Blogger DespairingLiberal said...

And they couldn't have moved to Europe with him?

I suspect everything about this - not least the tremendous and unreal egoism and narcissistic blindness to the way he is truly viewed - can he really be so deluded as to think the British public actually wants this smug, vain and (all too often) deceitful man for any of these jobs?

Clearly the decision had to do with something we are not being told about - perhaps it was simply that they know the other EU leaders have no intention of accepting Blair or his Millibland clone-puppy and so they are simply sparing themselves the humiliation of rejection.

 
At November 10, 2009 10:05 AM , Blogger Ray said...

Well looking at him and his brother and all the other fellow travellers in the Labour party, he is probably scared of losing brain washing time with his kids. It would be a shame for him if his kids grew up realising there was no right wing plot.

 
At November 10, 2009 9:52 AM , Blogger Fenrir said...

He would do far better for his children if he wasn't around, by having him present durinig the raising of them he will only inculcate them with his lying devious slime personality. Give them a chance to grow up to be decent selfless human beings David, put them up for adoption.

 
At November 10, 2009 9:54 AM , Blogger Newmania said...

It looks like bullshit , it sounds like bullshit my guess is ....

 
At November 10, 2009 10:29 AM , Blogger Man in a Shed said...

Its just possible, but it seems to me he took a long hard look before saying no.

Perhaps also he's been unable to secure support and saying no is better than being rejected.

Does this also rule him out of being leader of the Labour party I wonder ?

If it turns out to be not then we know this excuse was a loads of spin.

Where did you hear it and from who ?

 
At November 10, 2009 11:52 AM , Blogger Old Slaughter said...

Yeah yeah, tug on the one in the middle it whistles.

Wow. What a family man.

 
At November 10, 2009 2:05 PM , Blogger iain said...

Ian, I'm afraid you're well of the pace with this post. As recently as two weeks ago in a speech he was grandstanding his Euro-credentials while of course selling his own country short.

He applied for the job, failed to get it, and 'wishes to spend more time with his family'.

Add to which he's a hopeless, pointless, talentless New Labour Drone.

 
At November 10, 2009 1:31 PM , Blogger Chris Paul said...

It's a job for someone older, whose kids are grown up ... like Tony Blair.

 
At November 10, 2009 3:33 PM , Blogger norman said...

In Euro politics, 'what you see/hear is not what the fact of the matter is'.

Our banana boy found out that he cannot get the Euro Job. Even the 'EU backroom fixers' know that it is a man'job and wouldn't touch the boy with a barge pole.

 
At November 10, 2009 3:20 PM , Blogger bobthedog said...

Of course it wouldnt be that out of all the current European Foreign Ministers, far more talent for the new post of EU Foreign Minister is available from outside the UK. Miliband is an embarrassment not only to UK but the entire EU.

 
At November 10, 2009 5:11 PM , Blogger Leslie said...

It really is that simple.

How do you know?

No offence, Iain, but you're giving us your opinion and nothing more - and I'm sure you know what they say about opinions.

At best, you're giving us something that you heard from Milliband or someone around Milliband (in other words, something you've heard from liars who have a vested interest in putting the best gloss on Milliband's pathetic efforts at politicking).

It really is that simple.

 
At November 10, 2009 4:41 PM , Blogger Mark Fulford said...

Good for him.

 
At November 10, 2009 8:07 PM , Blogger thespecialone said...

He should try doing a 6-7 month tour away from his family and he will really know what separation means. No serviceman/woman is going to feel sorry for any politician if they complain about separation.

I did it on and off for 28 years in the navy so I really would put any politician straight.

 
At November 10, 2009 7:32 PM , Blogger Alex said...

Sorry but that is just pathetic. Wants to be a senior statesman but can't spend a few days away from home. That is truly, truly pathetic.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

 
At November 10, 2009 11:01 PM , OpenID adamcollyer said...

Hahahahahahaha...

Nah - he is assuming Labour will lose the election, Brown will step down, and he will be the leading contender to replace him.

I suspect also that he was told to step aside from the EU job, since Brown is still backing Blair for the Presidency.

 
At November 11, 2009 11:51 AM , Blogger killemallletgodsortemout said...

Tosh.

Why would you, or anyone else in this country, believe a word that any of these NooLayber freaks utters?

 

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Iain in conversation with Paddy Ashdown.