Ed Miliband campaigns in St Albans (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Ed Miliband campaigns in St Albans

9:47am Sunday 25th July 2010

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LABOUR leadership contender Ed Miliband came to St Albans yesterday, meeting local members as he campaigns for his party's top job.

The former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change outlined his vision for the party at Marlborough Road Methodist Church, and answered questions from St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield members.

He said he wanted to reconnect Labour with enthusiasts for civil liberties, admitting it had lost credibility while in government through issues such as identity cards and anti-terrorism laws.

He said: "We were founded on the most basic issue of liberty - the right to join a trade union.

"We need to reclaim the issue of liberty. "

He asked for more open debate in the party, arguing it had over-reacted to the days when its rowdy and strife torn conferences deterred millions of voters.

He said: "Of course we don't want to get back to Neil Kinnock and the Militant Tendency, but we need to have proper debate.

"We need to be proud of our values - not embarrassed.

"Politics has to be about a different vision for society, not a different set of managers."

Attacking the Government's plans to turn schools into privately run academies, he said: "What (Michael) Gove is doing with academies is disgraceful.

"When Labour set them up it was to help the most deprived schools.

"Now it is about floating off the most advantaged schools from the rest."

He supported the Alternative Vote for general elections - the subject of a national referendum next May - but said he feared the Conservatives would use the issue to force through electoral boundary changes in their favour.

Mr Miliband favoured strengthening Labour links with trade unions at local level, promised not to revive plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, and cast doubt on whether the Trident nuclear weapon system needed an expensive renewal.

Mounting a strong attack on the Government's economic policy, he insisted: "Their only plan for growth is to get out of the way, and then the economy will recover.

"That is fundamentally wrong."

All party members have a vote in the contest, alongside affiliated trade unions, MEPs, and MPs.

The winner of the five candidates, who include Ed Miliband and his brother David, will be announced at the party conference on September 25.

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