Ed Miliband is the real deal

Just a few short months ago some claimed Labour was the third most interesting party in British politics. How different things look today. Ed Miliband has surged to the front and a host of government policy shifts have changed the dynamic – just as the Christmas lights go up and the world of politics looks towards the 2015 election.

The Tories have been left looking like opportunistic political lightweights, happy to change their tune on any issue on any given day and, unclear about any central purpose that drives their desire to govern. It is  the Labour leader, by contrast, who is sure of what he believes and of the positions which he has taken.

Ed’s game-changing ‘One Nation’ conference speech in Manchester in 2012 provided a framework for a future Miliband premiership offer. However it was this year’s tour de force, and the discipline and relentlessness with which it has been backed up, that has left the Tories reeling and unsure how to respond.

Labour’s promise to tackle the cost-of-living crisis such as by freezing energy bills has captured the public mood, with even those who are far from our natural supporters forced to admit that only Ed has had the guts to stand up to the powerful ‘big six’. Queues have formed to sign our #freezethatbill  energy petition in Chesterfield market square in my constituency.

This followed Ed’s leadership on Syria, when flying in the face of the conventional wisdom his call for a pause before a rush to war, turned out to be not only brave but also right. Here was a man who was willing to do what he thought was right, even if the Opposition leader’s play book said he should always support a PM on the verge of war.

Ed’s call for a cut in business rates shows clearly why Labour is the party of small business, and undermines what the Tories see as their pitch to business. Labour believes we need to celebrate and support the fantastic small businesses we have, which is why we called for a UK version of Small Business Saturday and brought together a coalition of businesses, business organisations, councils and others to make this a reality. It is set to be the biggest celebration of small business this country has ever seen and shows once again Labour being at the forefront championing the value and contribution of small firms.

It is often said that David Cameron is in PR terms a cool operator, with the ease of demeanour that marks him as a man who believes he has a right to rule. But politically he is trapped between the moderate figure his instincts tell him modern Britain wants as its leader and the reactionary that his febrile party demands and has been shown to be completely out of touch and unwilling to stand up for hardworking families.

By contrast, Ed is at his best when he is at his most natural and standing up against vested interests. Whether it is confronting phone hacking or broken markets which are ripping off consumers, or pausing the rush to war. It is Ed who has stood strong.

He has a coherent narrative of what a One Nation Labour government would look like, complimented by serious policy solutions to tackle the cost of living crisis while strengthening Britain in the long term.

The Tories are scratching their heads as Labour’s poll lead refuses to shrink, and seem to believe that putting forward pale imitations of Labour’s policies might convince the voters that they are strong political managers. But the public can see through a fraud and increasingly, in Ed Miliband, people know they are looking at the real deal.

Toby Perkins MP is Shadow Minister for Small Businesses