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Ed Miliband reportedly refused to leave his post as EnergySecretary, rejecting an attempt by Sir Keir Starmer to move him to a different role in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
After Friday’s resignation by Angela Rayner, the Prime Minister has set about shifting his cabinet – but one person who refused to budge was Ed Miliband, The Independent reports.
According to political editor Robert Peston, speaking on The Rest Is Money podcast, Starmer offered Miliband the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government — vacated by Rayner — but Miliband is said to have flat-out refused the switch.
Instead, the housing job was handed to former environment secretary Steve Reed, a long-time local government figure.
But the move has exposed tensions at the top of the Labour government, with Miliband’s ambitious climate agenda now under pressure.
Seen by critics as a lightning rod for right-wing attacks, Miliband has faced growing pushback over his net zero policies.
Reform UK, now 10 points ahead of Labour in national polling, has vowed to scrap the climate agenda entirely.
Reform-linked mayors and councillors, including Lincolnshire’s Dame Andrea Jenkyns, are taking legal action to try to block Miliband’s plans for large-scale wind and solar farms.
Despite this, Miliband is holding his ground.
The Independent says he is expected to be welcomed as a “hero” by trade unionists when he speaks at a private TUC dinner, the paper reports one senior TUC source admitting: “Ed Miliband is the last left-wing person left in the cabinet, so he has our support.”
His refusal to shift comes as some on the left of the party accuse Starmer of leading a “right-wing coup” in the reshuffle, with growing unease about the future of workers’ rights and climate legislation.
Starmer himself will not deliver the keynote speech at TUC this year — that role has gone to education secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Allies of chancellor Rachel Reeves are understood to be concerned that Miliband’s energy transition plans could hinder growth and push up prices.
But Miliband, who has made clean energy central to Labour’s agenda, shows no sign of stepping aside.
Did Starmer want to shift Miliband in reshuffle? appeared first on Energy Live News.