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What’s Up With Miliband?

A year and a half ago, Ed Miliband was a household name, and the ‘Milibabes’ were in full swing; sharing photos of the then-Labour leader struggling to eat sandwiches on social media, flocking out in their dozens to take selfies with the great man, and stirring up a whole generation of left-wingers who fell for the man’s charm.

After the General Election and Miliband’s resignation as Labour leader, the popular politician appears to have more or less fallen off the map. So, Impact investigates what Miliband has been up to, and, crucially, why he was at the University of Nottingham.

Yesterday, Ed Miliband joined UoN’s Labour society in Beeston and then on campus as they were campaigning to stay in the EU, before leaving the students to go into town to do the same. Although he is now a back-bencher, Miliband is still an MP for Doncaster North, and so far has been positive about Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership. Furthermore, he is an outspoken campaigner for the Labour In Campaign.

“One of the benefits to staying in the EU, Miliband argued, was that staying in the Union allows us to develop big projects across the country”

Miliband spent the morning talking with Nottingham’s Labour students at Lakeside Café, discussing the EU referendum and the society’s canvassing experiences, talking about responses the students were having on doorsteps, what arguments were working, and people’s worries about the campaign.

Physics student and Labour member Alex Randell said: “it was very interesting having Miliband on campus. He’s a very friendly man and it’s good to see that he’s still supporting student politics and working with Labour campaigns across the country, as well as being supportive of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.”

One of the benefits to staying in the EU, Miliband argued, was that staying in the Union allows us to develop big projects across the country, such as the very Nottingham tram system he was riding on, which was part-funded by the EU.

However, some believe the UK will be better off economically if we decide to leave due to their belief that leaving will increase trade opportunities with the rest of the world, though if Britain does decide to leave, any possible financial and economic change will only be seen after the proposed two-year negotiation period which will follow the referendum.

Labour has recently been pushing its arguments forward as so far, the in/out debate has largely been dominated by the two main Conservative factions, led by David Cameron, and Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, respectively. The party is helped by its large body of canvassers, including students who regularly work with local Councillors and Nottingham South’s MP Lillian Greenwood, Shadow Secretary for Transport, who go out several times a week campaigning their views.

Britain will vote whether to remain in the EU on the 23rd of June.

Matteo Everett

Image courtesy of Craig Stanley

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