Morning Report – April 22nd

It’s Good Friday, the sun is shining, and Ed Miliband has celebrated by going on something of a media blitz. Miliband seems to be all over today’s papers, with stories from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Lack tackle the ridiculous first, with the Mirror reporting that Miliband will be undergoing adenoid surgery over the summer to cure the somewhat “bunged up” nature of his voice. The things politicians are forced to do these days. While we have no doubt that this story is probably true, but anyone expecting Miliband to suddenly sound like Barry White will be disappointed – he’ll still sound nasal. Still, that’s something bizarre to keep an eye out for in the summer. Let us know if you think you hear Miliband’s voice change…

While the Mirror have that bizarre scoop this morning, the Sun have an interview with the Labour leader in which he laughs off some of the nicknames he has been given, plays pool with a reporter and says that “Red Ed is dead”. The interview is worth a read – both because it gives a reasonable impression of what Ed is like in person – but also because it is telling which issues Ed talks to the Sun about. Immigration, welfare and the economy are all discussed, but it’s not clear whose agenda is being pushed here – Miliband’s or the paper. The interview itself is positive but pointed, the editorial however, is harsher.

Elsewhere, the Economist have also taken a look at Miliband’s performance as Labour leader. They say he has “made some progress”, but is yet to look like a plausible PM. Considering the political views of the Economist, that’s not a bad write up. And according to the Guardian Ed Miliband will be seeking to engage with “Blue Labour” in the coming weeks, however the extent to which he will adopt their full range of ideas remains to be seen…