DAVID Miliband has warned Labour must "reach out" if his brother Ed is to become Prime Minister.
The South Shields MP said the old ways of doing things would not work in “abnormal” times of economic crisis, exploding internet usage and traditional forms of political engagement failing.
That meant Labour had to show it stood for a “Do it Together” Britain rather than what he claimed was David Cameron’s DIY Britain.
Mr Miliband pointed to his movement for change organisation, aiming to rebuild Labour through grassroots campaigning, as key to the party’s fortunes.
“The big political picture is that these are very, very tough times. Tough times for our country, tough times for the party, tough times – if you like – for all of the Western industrialised economies.”
He attacked the coalition’s “shocking cuts” and urged Labour activists to keep their sense of outrage during a fringe event at the party’s conference.
But he added: “Outrage doesn’t get you from opposition in to Government. Outrage can raise a banner.
“Outrage doesn’t change lives. And that’s why the first task of movement for change is putting us in touch with the country. We need the imagination and insight to get out of opposition and in to Government. Now how do we get in to Government? A lot of people are saying we need more policy.
“And I think Ed has led the party with purpose and conviction in searching out ideas. But I also think he’s right to say that more policy on its own is not going to sort this out.”
“It’s about politics, not just policy. We’re not living in normal times.”
He added: “Normal politics isn’t going to respond to this abnormal situation. We need to redefine what politics is about and how we operate as a political party.
“Restoring the old ways isn’t going to be enough. We’ve got to reach out in radically different ways.”
He said the movement for change was about sustaining Labour as a political movement, ensuring it could get elected and about governing differently.
That meant a Do It Together Britain, said Mr Miliband who admitted the last Labour Government misjudged the balance between that and doing it for people in its latter years.
“We’re here because we want to put Ed into Downing Street. We want to put Labour in to Government. We want to put the country on the right path... If we are going to do we have got to understand our country better. We have got to broaden our boundaries so that we represent the country better, and we are going to have to govern the country in a different way.
“And if we do that then the consequences the will be profound. We won’t be a sectional party. We’ll be a national party that speaks for the whole country.”
