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Well done Ed Miliband for speaking out about the Daily Mail's article on his father

486 replies

claig · 01/10/2013 15:05

The Daily Mail used a low tactic of accusing Ed miliband's father of hating Britain.

I think it was a nasty thing to do. Just because someone is a Marxist and may criticise some aspects of the country or its instiutions does not mean that they hate Britain.

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KayHarker · 01/10/2013 16:11

I was pleased with the Mail headline 'An evil legacy and we're not apologizing'. At last they finally admit it...

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2cats2many · 01/10/2013 16:13

Agreed.

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MrJudgeyPants · 01/10/2013 16:35

Blimey claig that's a bit of a volte face for you to disagree with the Mail isn't it?

For the record, I agree with Ed on this one (and it's not often I'll say that). A hatchet job on his old man is beyond the pale.

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claig · 01/10/2013 16:47

Yes, MrJudgeyPants, I am usually one of the Mail's staunchest fans, but you are right, on this occasion, they have gone too far.

We are a great country because we allow free speech and thought and diverse political opinions and do not denigrate people because of their views or beliefs.

Also, I think they were trying to smear Ed as well by attacking his father, by subtly implying that Ed was influenced by his father.

Low tactic that cheapens political debate.

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MissM · 01/10/2013 17:18

Hear hear. Disgusting tactics, and their 'standing by' the story is shameful. How dare they behave this way. I think Ed is behaving with incredible dignity over this - bet he really wants to punch someone.

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claig · 01/10/2013 17:21

Yes, I am surprised they are so unrepentant and are trying to justify it.

Yes, Ed has great dignity over this and many other things too. Can't see how this will benefit the Daily Mail's image.

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marssparklesdownonme · 01/10/2013 17:22

Disgusting behaviour from the DM. Are they going to apologise for being Nazi sympathisers and Supporters of Oswald Mosleys Black shirts? No doubt they consider that's not relevant, whilst its ok to rake up the past about others . Cheap and tacky, just what you'd expect from Dacre and co.

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limitedperiodonly · 01/10/2013 17:26

I'm listening to a R4 PM report on it now.

I'm shocked. The Mail can print what they like within the law but they are insane.

Insane to attack in the first place. Madder to give him a right of reply and then attack him again.

Look at Ralph Miliband's record in the '30s and '40s and look at the Mail's.

What Miliband has done in taking to fight to them is not only morally right, but tactically so.

I think what David Cameron said this morning in mild support of Miliband was right. I think he should have gone further, but I think he was probably afraid of riling them.

I think that's a tactical mistake at this moment. But I do believe Cameron thinks it's a low blow.

And how is this supposed to help the Conservative Party or press freedom?

It's the Conservative Party conference and we're talking about Labour and most people probably aren't well-disposed to newspapers now.

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MissM · 01/10/2013 17:28

Just been listening to that report as well. Gobsmacking to defend the Mail in the way that man was doing (who was he anyway?)

Think Cameron and Clegg should be much more vocal in their disgust at the Mail's behaviour. Bet they're scared in case they get picked on. Like saying nothing when a child's being bullied.

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claig · 01/10/2013 17:29

'And how is this supposed to help the Conservative Party or press freedom?'

Good point. The Mail are trying to get sympathy over press regulation by politicians and are accusing Ed of trying to regulate them and then they go and use a low tactic to attack his dead father. They won't win much sympathy with those tactics.

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claig · 01/10/2013 17:30

Yes, I got the impression that Cameron was possibly a bit scared of going too far against the Mail too.

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limitedperiodonly · 01/10/2013 17:31

I guess that the Mail didn't think Miliband would take them on.

I'm glad he did, and that's not just because I'm a Labour voter.

I support Andrew Mitchell. I suspect I wouldn't like him if I met him, but I think he was lied about by the Met, which is another big organisation that's used to getting its own way.

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marssparklesdownonme · 01/10/2013 17:34

This is the newspaper , I use that term lightly, Hmm that claims to support war veterans. Oh wasn't Ralph Miliband ex Royal Navy? How strange that he's a suitable target for their Pro Nazi anti jewish vitriol.

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MissM · 01/10/2013 17:36

My grandfather was also a Jewish refugee, also a Socialist and also fought in WW2. He often told us that this country was wonderful as it had saved his life. He was eternally grateful to Britain. So I almost feel as though this attack on Miliband's father is an attack on all the fathers and grandfathers who were like him. I hope this backfires on them hugely. Lots of non-Labour supporters will find this a low blow as well.

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limitedperiodonly · 01/10/2013 17:43

I know that the Major government was held in contempt at the Mail and Paul Dacre described his paper as the unofficial opposition. I think he truly believed it and thought it was his duty.

I had my problems with it then. But 20 years on I think he's gone completely fucking mad. And this is someone I freely admit knows more about journalism than I ever will.

I guess he might feel the same way about Cameron and I guess that people around don't dare say anything.

I'm not joking when I say I think he ought to be given a liquid cosh and taken away for his own good.

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claig · 01/10/2013 17:47

I have read that Dacre was good friends with Gordon Brown.

Ed had a very good conference speech. it seems that the Mail wants to paint him as Red Ed, some kind of Marxist 1970s throwback who will bring back socialism etc, when as Ed says all he really wants to do is make capitalism work better and fairer for ordinary people.

Maybe they are worried about Ed's appeal.

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MissM · 01/10/2013 17:50

I think he must be worrying them for them to stoop to this kind of behaviour. Funny really, because, as a Labour voter, he doesn't appeal to me at all. Until now. He's gone up hugely in my estimation.

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limitedperiodonly · 01/10/2013 17:50

missM I think the person was from The Spectactor. Granted, I don't agree with their politics, but I find that magazine juvenile and their representative entirely representative.

I guess PM asked other right wing commentators to defend this and drew a blank.

I'm not that enamoured by the Mirror but Kevin Maguire (who was on in opposition) is a decent and very intelligent person and I was struck by the level of quite restrained outrage in his voice.

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PetiteRaleuse · 01/10/2013 17:53

I completely agree with you op for once :o

It was shocking even by the Mail's standards and that is saying something. I hope it backfires and bites Paul Dacre on the arse. It is a disgrace, the origial article was bad enough but what they have printed today is appaling.

Fwiw I don't think Brown and Dacre were actually friends, but they had a relationship of mutual professional respect until, well, until they didn't.

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MissM · 01/10/2013 17:54

Great post limited period - makes sense that it was the Spectator.

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claig · 01/10/2013 17:54

I am usually a Tory, but thinking of going UKIP, but Ed is great. I like him a lot. It is the rest of them behind him that I don't like. It is right when they say that he showed courage and principle to come out first against Murdoch and when he showed principle on Syria. He has shown principle and dignity throughout his entire leadership.

He made a good speech at the conference, much better than Boris Johnson's jokey one today.

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claig · 01/10/2013 17:58

I also like Kevin McGuire. I watch him on Sky News Press Review and he has a great sense of hunour and talks a lot of sense.

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bemybebe · 01/10/2013 17:59

I absolutely abhor DM for this article and generally this paper churning out very low quality product.

Attacking someone's relative for "loving" or "not loving" the country is just laughable.

But I have very little sympathy for Ed Milliband's dad - marxists in the UK were and are allowed to exist, whilst all the regimes around the world that preached marxist ideology were fundamentally inhumane, forget about the freedom of speech - they physically exterminated their opponents.

Still sympathise with EM - he is certainly not responsible...

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limitedperiodonly · 01/10/2013 18:04

Maybe they are worried about Ed's appeal.

I agree.

I know we have different politics claig but both of us respect the Mail, from different ends.

But though I said Dacre will forget more about journalism than I will ever know, I do think he's gone mad.

With respect to Dacre, I'd have ignored Miliband's assault on the energy companies and his rant about land speculators 'using it or losing it'.

There were plenty of other splashes - the Nairobi massacre for one.

I saw loads of commentators to Mail Online calling theMail on their hypocrisy over criticism of energy companies' profits.

It might not be a workable strategy but it's bloody popular and guess the conservatives kicked themselves for not thinking of it first.

I'm baffled. The only explanation I can think of is that Dacre clearly despises Cameron and thinks he is the unofficial opposition.

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limitedperiodonly · 01/10/2013 18:05

I love the Maguire and Andrew Pierce double act on Sky News.

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