Focus on this Ed

Ed Miliband was asked by Andrew Marr about the voting power of the union bosses. Ed chose not to answer so Andrew asked again whether a union boss could put his hand up and say "I've got five million votes here". It is an important question about Labour Party democracy so it is worth asking twice. Ed ignored Andrew again and told him "the really big question for people watching this programme Andrew is how we deal with their living standards crisis". There are flaws with this answer. It doesn't address Andrew's big question (again) and secondly there are many people watching the programme who are not asking this question.

Eventually Ed says that the way that conference works will be looked at. So the answer to Andrew's original question should have been "I have no idea". Andrew quite rightly comments in relation to his question "so that at this stage we don't know the answer to what I was asking". Ed has no option but to accept this comment. So Andrew tries again. Is Ed absolutely clear how he will put an end to the old politics and yes, Ed is absolutely clear (even if he doesn't have an answer to the first question). I didn't hear Andrew at this point but he does manage to stick his hand up as if casting a vote at conference. The point is clear. Ed is saying he is absolutely clear but can't answer Andrew's question.

Ed wants to talk vaguely about hearing the views of ordinary people. Gordon Brown heard the views of ordinary people like sixty-five-year-old Gillian Duffy in Rochdale. If you can't remember this ordinary person then I should perhaps remind you that Gordon called her a "bigoted woman". Ed's general phrase means absolutely nothing. Ed is "focused on" how we change the politics of Britain. It is a pity he can't focus on Andrew's question.

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