Chicken Ed: cowardly Miliband pulls out of Durham Miners' Gala

Ed Miliband promised to speak at July's Durham Miners' Gala, an event which last year attracted 50,000 people. He has now withdrawn, with a Labour spokesperson citing the planned presence of RMT general secretary Bob Crow as a factor. The Newcastle Evening Chronicle reports:

'LABOUR leader Ed Miliband has pulled out of the Durham Miners' Gala despite pledging to speak at the historic event.

Earlier this year, Mr Miliband promised to become the first Labour leader since Neil Kinnock to speak at the gala next month.

But the Labour party yesterday told the Chronicle Mr Miliband was no longer attending because of “diary pressures” and the presence of left-wing rail union leader Bob Crow at the event on July 9.

Durham Miners’ Association secretary Dave Hopper said: “Ed said he would speak.

“We sent him an invitation and so we are obviously disappointed he isn’t coming and disappointed in his reasons for not speaking.”

A Labour party spokesman said: “He is not going to be able to attend this year’s miners’ gala.

“This is due to diary pressures and the decision to have Bob Crow on the platform at the Durham Miners’ Gala.

“But he does hope to attend at some point in future years.”'

Miliband is not the first gutless politician to avoid the North East - see Chicken Clegg: victory for anti-cuts campaigners in Newcastle!

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