Ed Miliband elected as leader of the Labour Party
25 September 2010

Ed Miliband (40) has today been elected the new leader of the Labour Party following a vote by party members, MPs, and affiliated organisations. Confounding experts and pollsters who had placed his brother David Miliband as the favourite to win the election, Ed snatched victory with a huge swing in votes from Unions with GMB members giving him more than 18,000 votes and Unite members 47,000 votes - nearly half of all their votes cast. This level of support from the 'left-wing', combined with his socialist roots, has led to him being dubbed "Red Ed" by many British tabloid newspaper editors. At the age of 40, Ed Miliband is the youngest of Labour's ten leaders since World War II.

In his speech, Ed told Labour party members "conference, I stand here today ready to lead: a new generation now leading Labour. I am optimistic about our country; optimistic about our world and optimistic about the power of politics. We are the optimists and together we will change Britain".

Mr Miliband then praised the graciousness of his brother David and explained the personal tale of his family. "In 1940, my grandfather, with my Dad, climbed onto one of the last boats out of Belgium. They had to make a heart breaking decision - to leave behind my grandmother and my father's sister. They spent the war in hiding, in a village sheltered by a brave local farmer. Month after month, year upon year, they lived in fear of the knock at the door.

At the same time, on the other side of Europe, my mother, aged five, had seen Hitler's army march into Poland. She spent the war on the run sheltering in a convent and then with a Catholic family that took her in. Her sister, her mother and her.

My love for this country comes from this story. Two young people fled the darkness that had engulfed the Jews across Europe and in Britain they found the light of liberty.

They arrived with nothing. This country gave them everything.

My Dad learnt English, paid his way moving furniture during the day, and studying at night at technical college. He joined the Navy to fight for our country and afterwards he wanted to go to university. He did. My Mum built a life here after the war, for all of us. I know nobody more generous, nobody more kind, nobody more loving and nobody more relieved that this is contest is over, than my Mum.

The gift my parents gave to me and David are the things I want for every child in this country. A secure and loving home. Encouragement and the aspiration to succeed."

He ended by affirming "a new generation leads our party, humble about our past and idealistic about our future. It is a generation which thirsts for change. This week, we embark on the journey back to power".