David Miliband: Government risking our living standards

By Mark Ferguson / @markferguson

David Miliband has accused the government of taking a “massive risk with all our living standards”. Speaking to the Today programme, David said:

“The government is trying to make us believe that if you don’t believe in the masochism of Mr Osborne then you’re in denial – we’re not in denial. We’ve got a growth plan and a serious plan to halve the deficit over four years.”

David sought to play up his credentials as someone who can get Labour back into power quickly, something which the party has struggled with in the past:

“Labour’s historical trend which is when we go out of government we’re usually out for at least 10 years.”

And on the question of whether or not he is seen as a ditherer, Miliband said that isn’t how members know him:

“They know me as the person who invented the building schools for the future programme, they know me as the person who was committed to devolution of power, they know me as the environment secretary who invented the climate change bill…as a foreign secretary who stood up for values and interests of Britain throughout the world.”