12. Ed Miliband

Ed Miliband led Labour in opposition for the first time since 1997 - from 2010 to 2015.

He stood for the leadership as a candidate of the left, and distanced Labour from the looming New Labour legacy, but many of his approaches lacked clarity and he lost the 2015 election.

This episode explores Miliband's leadership with some of his key advisers and many other experts: Marc Stears, Eunice Goes, Kevin Hickson, Tom Baldwin, James Morris, Tim Bale and Tom Hamilton.

Leading Labour is researched, presented and produced by Izzy Conn - find me on:

LinkedIn: Izzy Conn

X/Twitter: @izzy_conn_

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Edited by Will Barber-Taylor, host of the Debated Podcast.

LinkedIn: Will Barber-Taylor X/Twitter: @WBarberTaylor

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Artwork by Phoebe Jones. 

Music by Rykard From.

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Find out more about the Institute of Historical Research here.

LINKS

Marc Stears, Miliband's head speechwriter, and Director of UCL Policy Lab.

Eunice Goes, Professor of Politics, Richmond American University London, and author of The Labour Party Under Ed Miliband: Trying but Failing to Renew Social Democracy (2016).

https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781784994235/ 

Kevin Hickson, Senior Lecturer in British Political History at Liverpool University, and editor of Rebuilding Social Democracy: Core Principles for the Centre Left (2016).

https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/rebuilding-social-democracy 

Tom Baldwin, Miliband's Director of Communications and Strategy, and author of Keir Starmer: The Biography (2024).

https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/keir-starmer-the-biography-tom-baldwin?variant=41705270935630

James Morris, pollster for Miliband.

Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University London, and author of Five Year Mission: The Labour Party Univer Ed Miliband (2015).

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/five-year-mission-9780198702962?cc=gb&lang=en& 

Tom Hamilton, former head of research at the Labour Party and, since June 2025, Executive Director of Policy and Research of Labour again. Co-author of Punch and Judy Politics: An Insider's Guide to Prime Minister's Questions (2018).

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/punch-judy-politics-book-tom-hamilton-9781785904882