Media filter: show me your true colours

28 September 2010
by Ana Mangahas
Tags: communications training, media commentary, politics, PR, UK government

With a newly anointed Labour party leader, the next few weeks should prove very interesting in British politics. At least I hope so. Ed Miliband may have been the surprise victor, but no less than 48 hours after his win, he is already planning his counter-offensive on the ‘Red Ed’ branding, as well as accusations that he is a ‘blank piece of paper’ that the Unions are all too eager to colour in.

There is plenty to ponder. What shape will reporting on the relatively low-key Ed take in the coming weeks? What will the Economist have in response, having publicly backed David? Has Ed booked out media training sessions to make certain he, too, is ready for the Visual Age of politics?

A member of Team Ed told the Guardian that the Younger Miliband’s win was even more of an achievement because it was done ‘without the media’ – hence, a real underdog moment. Although I am not sure that Ed Miliband was ever much of an underdog. Like many, I was intrigued by the Miliband Brothers storyline, which was making the rounds weeks before the party elections, keeping both candidates’ names firmly in the papers and very much top of mind.

As Ed ponders the possibility of an even bigger prize than party leadership, in due course, we will know much, much more about the former energy and climate change secretary. And the media will partly determine whether we’ll be seeing red.