Should Ed Get Radical?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-26714325
It seems Labour's lead is crumbling, Can Ed afford to rely dissatisfaction of the Coalition, or should he take the advice of his think tanks and stop "playing safe"?

[youngmafbog]

Playing it safe is not going to be an option for any of the parties.

But not playing it safe and being different to differentiate yourself from the other side is going to be difficult.

To win a party must pamper to middle England not the party faithful.

[ludwig]

// should he take the advice of his think tanks and stop "playing safe"? //

He's made Ed Balls a key face of his election campaign - just how unsafe do they want him to play things?

[emmie]

play so safe he doesn't win. result

[Gromit]

I don't think Labour have had a good spell in oppostion considering the Coalitions poor performance.

It may be a matter of timing. It is pointless Miliband winning any battles now, when the election in 14 months away. Better to start having a proper go in the new year. Not convinced Miliband is up to it, but we will see.

[jno]

Blair always played it safe by running his programmes past endless focus groups, and he took a lot of stick for it. The one time when he ignored the focus groups and did what he thought was right - Iraq - he took even more stick for it. Party leaders are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Still, Miliband will have to do something to prove to the public he's not just Cameron lite (Cameron being Blair lite). I doubt he's up to it, but he'll never have a more open goal.

[anneasquith]

I think Ed should phone his brother.

[emmie]

doubt that he would respond, isn't he in the US?

[ludwig]

I'm sensing some pre-emptive backtracking from the previous 'the Tories are going to get hammered' position held by Labour supporters.

Perhaps if Mikey can produce another of his 'Labour extend lead to 50 points!' polls, there'll be some backtracking to the backtracking.

A week is a long time in politics and there are quite a few weeks to go yet.