what the hugs hide

This rather delicious moment has been getting a lot of play (kudos to Channel 4 for picking it up). Slightly less noticed was this:

This follows yesterday’s moment when the brothers spoke after David’s triumphant speech. A lip-reader employed by Channel 4 (again) is sure that the younger brother said it was a very good speech: “I’ll be honest I thought it would be three or four minutes,” Ed said.

I did wonder, when watching David's speech, if the eloquence he displayed wasn't itself a minor act of revenge. His smiles are concealing real anger - not necessarily with Ed, but certainly with the party, and his colleagues.

He's gone back to London. There will only be one Miliband in the cabinet.

Comments

[peter]

This episode is meaningful for so many reasons: Whatever one thinks of his vote for the war, Milliband the Greater is clearly a man of principle. Milliband the Lesser - a man with as many faces as a town-hall clock, as people said during the campaign - is willing to say whatever he thinks will win him votes now, despite being prominently quiet back at the time when the decision for war was made. And Harriet "Happy-Clappy" Harman is careerist, supporting whoever is in charge at the time.

[Ian Leslie]

Well actually I can forgive HH for this, I don't think it's any great sin to clap applause-lines during a leader's speech - I don't think it was strategic 'look at me' clapping. Just an instinctive reaction.

But I completely sympathise with DM. He's had a real job, unlike his brother. He knows how difficult these decisions are.

[Scott]

Peter

Yes, let's venerate David Milliband because he lost. Couldn't be more English, could it?