Ed Miliband ‘confident’ but polls hint at David
By Ian Dunt
Ed Miliband has said he’s “increasingly confident” of winning the Labour leadership even as polls show his brother has twice as much support.
A ComRes poll for the Independent found that David Miliband was twice as popular as his younger sibling among people who had voted Labour at least once since 1992.
He also appeared to be the most likely to win over floating voters and those who switched from Labour in the last election.
The shadow foreign secretary was the preferred candidate among 26% of Labour voters. His brother received just 11% support, while Diane Abbott secured eight per cent, Ed Balls received seven per cent and Andy Burnham five per cent.
When asked who would make the most effective leader of the opposition, David Miliband received 30% support and his brother 12%.
Ed Miliband was still bullish on the Today programme this morning, however.
“I think it’s a hard election to forecast and I’m certainly not counting my chickens,” he admitted.
“I am fighting for every vote, I will carry on doing so right up to the time the ballots close. It is going to be a close election in my view but I’m increasingly confidant.”
