David Miliband accuses Ed of 'turning back page'
From New York, Miliband also warns that no US government will take Britain seriously again if we leave EU

David Miliband has accused Labour of rejecting all the positives of New Labour under his brother Ed's stewardship. Instead of "building on the strengths and remedying the weaknesses" of the Blair years, it "turned the page backwards rather than turning the page forwards".
Speaking on the day that the EU referendum bill easily passed its first hurdle in the Commons, he also expressed his fears for the British if they vote to leave Europe.
Whoever Labour chooses as its next leader, the party should argue that "even the talk of Britain leaving the European Union is dangerous for Britain, and the reality would be disastrous".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Miliband's comments came in two interviews, one for CNN – his "most withering critique yet" of Labour's failures under Ed, according to The Guardian - and another for The Times, which has questioned more than 40 people for an investigation into why Labour lost the 7 May election.
On Labour's election disaster:
Miliband told CNN's Christiane Amanpour there were "very clear reasons" why Labour lost on 7 May.
Labour under his brother's leadership had not been trusted on the economy. The party must "catch up with the way Britain has changed, the way politics has changed, and the kind of agenda that needs to be set in an age of economic insecurity".
Instead of turning the pages back, Labour needs "to find again that combination of economic dynamism and social justice that defined the success of the Labour party" under Tony Blair.
"It's 50 years since Labour won a majority at a general election without Tony as leader. It's important to have this in mind."
David, who narrowly lost the Labour leadership to Ed in 2010 because of trade union backing for his more left-wing brother, said he had been "very fearful of the consequences" ever since Ed made his pitch to voters.
The result gave him no pleasure – "There is no consolation in any sense of vindication" – but had left him with a sense of "frustration and anger" because of what a Conservative majority government would mean for Britain.
On Britain leaving Europe:
On the "disastrous" reality of Britain leaving Europe, Miliband, who now heads the Manhattan-based International Rescue Committee, said: "Sitting in New York, it's completely evident to me that no American government would ever take seriously a Britain that has withdrawn from the European Union.
"It's almost like Britain would be resigning from the world."
He said Labour would need to be at the forefront of the campaign to remain in the EU, despite not being in government.
Yet only one of the current five hopefuls in the Labour leadership race, Mary Creagh, says she would be prepared to share a pro-EU platform with David Cameron in the referendum campaign.
Creagh and the others – Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Jeremy Corbyn – were answering questions yesterday from members of the GMB union at their annual conference in Dublin.
Three of them – Burnham, Cooper and Kendall – have reached the 35 nominations from fellow MPs required to secure a place on the leadership ballot. With nominations closing next Monday, Corbyn currently has 11 backers and Creagh only five.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How will the next pope change the Catholic Church?
Talking Points Conclaves can be unpredictable
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Conspiracy theorists circle again following RFK file release
The Explainer Both RFK and his brother, President John F. Kennedy, have been the subjects of conspiracies
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
7 equestrian activities for when you feel like horsin' around
The Week Recommends These graceful animals make any experience better
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Did China sabotage British Steel?
Today's Big Question Emergency situation at Scunthorpe blast furnaces could be due to 'neglect', but caution needed, says business secretary
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
What is Starmer's £33m plan to smash 'vile' Channel migration gangs?
Today's Big Question PM lays out plan to tackle migration gangs like international terrorism, with cooperation across countries and enhanced police powers
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
The tribes battling it out in Keir Starmer's Labour Party
The Explainer From the soft left to his unruly new MPs, Keir Starmer is already facing challenges from some sections of the Labour Party
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Are we on the brink of a recession?
Today's Big Question Britain's shrinking economy is likely to upend Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement spending plans
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Has Starmer put Britain back on the world stage?
Talking Point UK takes leading role in Europe on Ukraine and Starmer praised as credible 'bridge' with the US under Trump
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
Left on read: Labour's WhatsApp dilemma
Talking Point Andrew Gwynne has been sacked as health minister over messages posted in a Labour WhatsApp group
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Peter Mandelson: can he make special relationship great again?
In the Spotlight New Labour architect, picked for his 'guile, expertise in world affairs and trade issues, and networking skills', on a mission to woo Donald Trump
By The Week UK
-
Will Keir Starmer have to choose between the EU and the US?
Today's Big Question Starmer's 'reset' with the EU will focus on 'defence for trade' but an 'EU-hating' president in the White House could cause the PM trouble
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK