Ralph Miliband urged Ed not follow in David's footsteps
One of the friends of the Miliband family to whom we spoke while making Thursday's film, said that as a teenager Ed always looked up to David. He admired him so much that he always wanted to follow in his exact footsteps.
When Ed starting thinking about university, their father Ralph Miliband urged him to go somewhere different from David.
"Why not try for Cambridge, or the LSE, or perhaps another university?" he suggested.
But Ed was adamant he wanted to go to Oxford University too.
"So why not try for another college at Oxford?" Ralph Miliband suggested to his youngest son. But Ed was adamant that he wanted to follow his brother to Corpus Christi College. And to read the same subject, Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
And he did.
And this year, by standing for leader of the Labour Party, has followed his brother again. And beaten him.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 26th Sep 2010, stevie wrote:Ed is not left wing....he just said he was but the appointment of Alistair Darling over Ed Balls tells you all you want to know about the direction of the party......
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Comment number 2.
At 26th Sep 2010, barriesingleton wrote:THERE'S A LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND INFATUATION . . .
Yes, I know the song says 'fascination' but if Crikey's info is accurate, Limited Ed really does appear 'limited'. Is there a psychologist in the house? At least it explains Ed taking up the 'Blair Glottal' - brother David was a Blair Babe, so took to the glottal like mother's milk. Ed HAD to follow.
Such is the calibre of Westminster politicians. Thus are the criteria of party selection committees writ large. In feudal hierarchies, lack of individuality is an asset. Vote asset - get something similar.
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Comment number 3.
At 2nd Aug 2011, tony wrote:Ed is the one with morality behind him, thus the ppl of the world will obviously be behind all of the very moral important decisians he must make over the cumming years as the man at the top of his game in british and world politics.
yours Tony H
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