By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:23 PM on 15th January 2011
- Q&A session streamed on Fresh Ideas website flops dramatically
Point of order: Ed Miliband speaking to the left-leaning Fabian Society in London this afternoon
After Labour's victory in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, Ed Miliband could be forgiven for feeling euphoric.
But he was quickly brought down to earth as just 96 people logged on as he attempted to woo voters online.
The Labour chief's question and answer meeting in Brighton was streamed live on his Fresh Ideas website.
But it didn't impress Tory MP Gavin Barwell who poked fun at Mr Miliband, whose brother David plans to be a TV host.
He said: 'Let's hope his brother's TV career goes a bit better.'
Labour's Debbie Abrahams was a comfortable winner in the seat which was previously held by Phil Woolas, the disgraced former immigration minister.
Her majority was 3,558 over Liberal Democrat Elwyn Watkins with the Tories a distant third after polling just 12.8 per cent of the vote.
In a speech this afternoon, Mr Miliband indicated that he is ready to work with the Lib dems both before and after the next general election.
Big idea: Ed Miliband's website where he streamed his online show
Speaking to the left-leaning Fabian Society think-tank in London, Mr Miliband insisted that he wants Labour to stick to the political centre ground and represent voters from the mainstream of society.
'Labour over the next four years must become again the standard-bearer of the progressive majority,' he said
'We must rebuild ourselves as a broad movement of the British mainstream that politicians have talked about for decades but often not understood.'
Spelling out where he sees the centre ground in the current period of austerity and cuts, Mr Miliband added: 'I want to become the voice and hope of those who feel squeezed by an economic system that promised to liberate them.
'I want us to articulate the frustration of people who are fed up with bankers taking vast public subsidies and then rewarding themselves for failure while the rest of the country struggles.'
He looked forward to warmer relations with the Lib Dems in future, saying that he hoped they will eventually come to realise they blundered by agreeing to join a Tory-led Government.
He added: 'Forgive me if I decline to join those of you who are gloating at the expense of the Liberal Democrats.
'Their decision to join a Conservative-led Government was a tragic mistake, and I hope they come to see that in time.'
The total lie that it was Labour that brought this country to its kneesmight be bought by many readers here: but it was not bought in Oldham. - Pete, Macclesfield, 15/1/2011 11:09 ****** That Pete, with all respect is because they are economically illiterate. I won't waste my time explaining yet again what a STRUCTURAL deficit is! Go read it up for yourself. The bankers have nothing whatsoever to do with the structural deficit; Brown managed that all on his own. No structural deficit = No cuts ... ergo Brown is entirely responsible. 80bn of structural deficit that growth will simply not eliminate. Labour's legacy of waste to be paid for by stealing the future prosperity out of the mouths of children and grandchildren. Utterly despicable, and not a shred of shame. Oldham is I can assure you not representative of the UK!
- alimac, berkshire, 15/1/2011 16:28
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