Blood in the water

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

If I were Ed Miliband I’m not sure I’d be reading the papers this morning. They contain numerous articles that have the uncomfortable whiff of hatchet job about them. Labour is dominating the Sunday papers again – but not for the right reasons. Several fleet street editors have taken their opportunity to strike on the same day, and it’s ugly. It’s reminiscent of (dare I say it) when the papers used to go for Gordon Brown.

By and large the text doesn’t justify the powerful headline (step forward Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Times) – but that doesn’t necessarily sweeten the pill.

When papers are using whatever they can get their hands on to construct a media narrative about how you’re struggling/how you bumped off your brother, then it’s because they’ve already got the smell of blood in their nostrils. And there is blood in this water Ed. And there are sharks and piranhas too – so you’ve got two choices, swim fast or stop the bleeding. No more treading water.

It’s not all bad news for Ed though. His popularity takes a hit and the disloyal and treacherous come out of the woodwork whenever he steps out of the limelight. First paternity leave and then his honeymoon have provided the perfect time for his enemies to strike, to brief, to consider their options. Yet late last year when he returned from paternity leave, he beefed up his media operation and delivered some of his smartest and most effective attacks on the coalition. He began to gain traction, but – so far – he’s been missing the crucial momentum. So when he stops, so does his media image. He’s not leaving an indelible mark on the public – not yet.

There is so much helpful advice (and the altogether more dangerous “helpful advice”) being offered to Ed at the moment, so lets not go into detail, for now, on what he should be doing differently. Instead, a friendly warning – remember, at all times, that there are sharks circling. Remember that every drop of blood alerts the attentions of more. So be like a shark yourself. Be ruthless. Be strong. And never, ever stop moving.

Or you’ll be dead.