Ed

by Mehdi Hasan

What makes a man put political ambition before family? Ed Miliband shocked observers when he defeated his brother David in the contest to lead the Labour Party. This insightful, scrupulously researched biography sheds fascinating new light on the upbringing and political career of the former Labour leader who, at the time of writing, looked set to mount an effective challenge against the Conservatives.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Biography, Collections, History

385 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Mehdi Raza Hasan is a British political journalist, broadcaster and author.

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Reviews

[Ulrike · Rating 4 out of 5]

this shit is in fact genuinely shakespearean

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, especially after also reading 'Cameron: Rise of the new Conservative'. It's full of fascinating stories and stuff, and is good at giving you the gist of Ed and all that. It seems a little uneven as his years in government are skipped over a bit - especially as cabinet minister. In contrast to the details in the Cameron book about his time advising Nigel Lawson on Black Wednesday.

The stuff on the leadership campaign is fascinating though too.

[Jesse Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is still a book well worth reading in 2025 -- an not just because Ed is back in the cabinet, as one of the major policy drivers of the new Labour government. It's a really engaging, thoughtful, and well-researched portrait of Ed's life and education throughout his long apprenticeship in politics. You very much get a sense of how Miliband's mind works -- and why he remains so committed to a life in politics despite it having been so bruising at times. Coming out in 2012, this book didn't know what was yet to come -- the coalition endured, and the 2015 election was a disaster for Labour. So the "will he be PM?!" angle of the book is quite dated in that regard. But still a compelling read.

[The Contented · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a well-written book - and probably endlessly fascinating if you're into the subject, but if you only get round to finishing the book after the 2015 election. Well.

[David Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into the "making" of Ed Miliband and the change of direction that his leadership may bring to the British Labour Party post Blair and Brown. This book is at its most interesting and dramatic when discussing the rivalry between Ed and his brother David in the contest to win the leadership. Will their relationship ever fully recover?

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this to get more insight into Miliband's background, and from that viewpoint it is a very useful read. It is not, however, a gripping book in itself, comparing unfavourably with (for example) the much more analytical biography of Gordon Brown by Steve Richards.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really interesting to see how he came to be leader of the Labour party, and some good insights into his life, especially his relationship with David.

[Mirzə · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, I would be really disappointed if British people don't elect him as the next Prime Minister.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting and relatively easy to follow. Only, it was hard to remember all the names and positions of the people mentioned.