Why has Labour briefed against Ed Miliband – is it his success and popularity?
Tories, Reform, fossil fuel industry and some in his party lined up against net zero agenda as energy secretary “Whenever the Labour party feels a bit sad,” according to one close observer of the current government, speaking some months ago, “they wheel out...
Labour has reportedly turned to briefings against Ed Miliband, even as the energy secretary has been seen as one of the government’s more upbeat and recognisable figures. According to a monitored public feed from The Guardian Business, Miliband has been caught in a crossfire involving the Conservatives, Reform, the fossil fuel industry and some voices within his own party, all opposed to his net zero agenda.
The feed summary suggests the pushback comes at a moment when Miliband’s role in government has remained highly visible. He has been associated with a clear and easily understood message on decarbonising the UK’s power sector by 2030, and the summary says that progress on that mission has been viewed as relatively fast. That combination of visibility, optimism and policy clarity may help explain why he has become such a prominent figure in the political debate.
A close observer of the current government was quoted in the summary saying that when Labour “feels a bit sad,” it often “wheels out Ed Miliband to talk about rooftop solar.” The remark points to a broader perception that Miliband has served as a dependable communicator for the government, particularly on energy and climate policy. The feed does not provide further detail on who in Labour is briefing against him or the exact content of those briefings.
The report also indicates that opposition to Miliband is not coming from just one side. The Conservatives and Reform are said to be lined up against his net zero agenda, while the fossil fuel industry is also named among the forces pushing back. That suggests the criticism is part of a wider political and commercial contest over the pace and direction of Britain’s energy transition.
For Labour, the contrast is notable: a minister whose popularity and success in communicating a policy mission may be making him a target. The summary raises the possibility that a high profile can create as much political risk as political capital, particularly when a policy agenda is contentious and the stakes are long term.
This article is based on a monitored public feed and summarises the available metadata only. Source attribution is included below.
Source: The Guardian Business - https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/21/labour-briefed-against-ed-miliband-success-popularity
