Ed Miliband’s first 100 days shows that the press is eating itself

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Slow, little achievement and whispers of discontent. That’s the established narrative about Ed Miliband’s first one hundred days. The chilly winds of media reproach have whistled around Miliband and his team from conference onwards. The first 100 days is meant to make the end of the honeymoon – but for Ed there was no honeymoon, only cold words and cynicism.

For some this was borne out of disappointment that David Miliband hadn’t won the leadership contest – fratricide is difficult for many to get past – but there was also a sense, especially for many in the media, that Ed wasn’t supposed to have won. They had predicted otherwise. They said that David was the only man for the job. Now they must set about to prove how right they were.

So the rumours came. Murmurs at first. There was dissent in the PLP. There had been too much/not enough change. Miliband was too radical/not radical enough. He was too left, too weak and too young to command this party we had been told. And now these rumours (always off the record, no quotes, no names) “proved” that already he had lost the party.

Nonsense, of course.

But that’s what the media wanted to hear. Sober reflection and consideration is boring. Dithering is better. Dithering sells papers.

Had Ed dithered though? A quick look back suggests otherwise.

In the early days of his leadership Miliband deftly handled what could have been a complex, divided and factional shadow cabinet election. Within weeks his leadership was consumed by firefighting – facing brutal cuts from the coalition in both the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Strategic Defence Review.

And then his partner gave birth.

By the time he returned the rumours of discontent had broken through into the mainstream and he had to spend time allaying fears that his leadership was sinking. It wasn’t, but he had to do it anyway. Counterproductive but necessary – a cruel Westminster Catch-22.

A couple of below-par PMQs were enough for the knives to come out. The press openly and seriously discussed the possibility of a regicide inside three months. Again it was nonsense – it would have made the party look completely unelectable and divided – not to mention unnecessary, as Miliband was having a number of notable successes, not least in the polls.

His subsequent PMQs performances were far better, and though the party sensed momentum, the press continued to play their games, crying “relaunch” and “fightback” to make him seem on the defensive, and then weeks later doing the same again.

Now as Ed’s leadership heads into 2011, the media have a new mantra. Miliband is performing better in his media appearances. His new press team have honed his message. Another fightback. The media are delighted. They get to talk about themselves. Their perception of Miliband becomes part of the story, and for the moment, it looks like Ed plans to shift his tactics and play their game.

His success in his next 100 days may be determined by whether he plays to the press or continues down the road he wishes to travel.

Or if he can do both…