Ed Miliband: I won’t be back-seat driver for Jeremy Corbyn

The National Executive Committee of the Labour party has made a decision to act against MPs and party members publicly criticising Jeremy Corbyn on social media.

Appearing on Radio Four’s Today programme, Mr Miliband was asked whether his successor was suited to being Prime Minister.

“My own view on all these matters has been around these issues, is whether you have a whip vote or a free vote; I have always had a bit of a preference for free votes when you go to war and all the rest of it, but that will be a debate within the party, we will arrive at that I think, I am hoping, in a comradely and democratic way”.

Mr Miliband, who was dubbed “Red Ed” during his time as leader, claimed he is “not going to be a back-seat driver”, which prompted a barbed comment from presenter Jim Naughtie who told him: “Having crashed the auto it’s hard to do that”.

“He has set out what he believes his mandate is for, which is anti-austerity, a different approach to foreign policy and participatory politics”, he said.

A string of senior figures have criticised Mr Corbyn for insisting the party will seek a common position – and close ally John McDonnell said he believed it was generally better for MPs to be allowed to follow their conscience on matters of war.

Asked whether Mr Corbyn’s could win power, he said he was “not in the predictions game” and that was a matter for voters.

“I am seeking to work out how do we use these new members so that we can do what we didn’t do fully under me, which is become a community organisation that actually is a presence in communities up and down this country”.

The veteran left-winger was elected the party’s leader in September by 59% of members, registered supporters and affiliates.

During the defence review statement, some Labour MPs signalled they could be willing to support air strikes; among them were Chris Leslie, the former Shadow Chancellor, and Pat McFadden, the Shadow Europe Minister. Thirty-nine percent said they trusted Prime Minister David Cameron to keep them and their families safe, compared with 17 percent trusting the Labour leader to do so. According to the Mail on Sunday, Miliband told the group: “I bet you didn’t think things would actually get worse”.