LABOUR’S message to vote remain in the EU referendum isn’t cutting through because the “sexy part of the campaign has been this blue on blue action”, claims Ed Miliband.
The former Leader of the Opposition made the bizarre comments as he tries to mobilise his party’s support for staying following the news two of their high profile MPs are backing Brexit.
Speaking on the Today programme he defended Jeremy Corbyn's performance in the referendum campaign saying he is "an effective advocate".
The Labour leader has been criticised for not doing enough to convince supports they should go out and back Remain on June 23.
And Mr Miliband concedes more Labour voters need to hear the party's message.
Asked why he thinks it isn't cutting through, he told Radio 4: "The sexy part of the campaign has been this blue on blue action."
It comes after last night’s TV debate was dominated by heated arguments between Amber Rudd and Boris Johnson, both Tories but on the opposite sides of the EU campaign.
Ms Rudd, the Energy Secretary, said Mr Johnson was “the life and soul of the party — but he is not the man you want driving you home at the end of the evening.”
She made repeated attacks on the former Mayor of London, saying: “I fear the only number Boris is interested in is Number 10.”
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Wanting to shift the debate away from a Tory-only fight, Mr Miliband warns: "The price we would pay for leaving the EU – in trade, in wages, in unemployment, in recession – is a price we should not be willing to pay."
He acknowledged immigration "is a concern" for Labour voters but he says leaving the EU is not the answer, and that it will only damage the UK economy.
The ex-Labour boss, who stood down after last year’s general election defeat, is going on the campaign trail today with senior colleagues.
He is accusing the Leave camp of trying to "perpetrate a fraud" on voters and says "we've got to call that out", as he claims a Brexit would cause an economic shock in the UK.
It comes after senior Labour MP John Mann called for working-class Brits to vote Brexit.
Writing exclusively in The Sun he said the EU was “fundamentally broken” and that only leaving could end the mass immigration destroying hard-working people’s chances of getting homes, jobs and school places.
He was joined this morning by fellow Labour heavyweight Dennis Skinner, who said he was backing the Leave campaign.
And a third MP from the party, John Cryer, said he was threatened with the sack if he publicly backed Brexit.
The Eurosceptic is chairman of the powerful Parliamentary Labour Party group, and was warned he would be booted out of the Shadow Cabinet if he endorsed the Leave camp.
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