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  1. Politics
31 January 2011

Ed Mili avoids the “Cleggover”. Well, kind of . . .

“I used to be good at the Rubik’s cube.”

By Jon Bernstein

In time-honoured tradition, some choice interview quotes have been released ahead of a magazine’s publication. This time, the magazine is GQ (out on Thursday), the interviewer is Piers Morgan and the interviewee is the Labour leader, Ed Miliband.

You will of course remember that the GQ/Morgan combo caught Nick “Cleggover” Clegg out when he was in opposition. Miliband, aware of that fact, too, did his best to avoid a similar fate but didn’t quite succeed.

Miliband on paternity leave

EM: “Justine would have killed me [if I hadn’t taken paternity leave], and rightly.

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PM: “She’d have murdered you?”

EM: “Well, no.”

PM: “God, 30 seconds in and there’s your headline: ‘My wife’s going to kill me, says Miliband’.”

EM: “She’s not my wife.”

Miliband on marriage I

It’s a good institution and part of having stable families, but there are also people in unmarried relationships with stable families. I don’t think politicians should order people to get married.

We’ll get married because we want to get married and love each other very much, no other reason.

Miliband on marriage II

PM: “So you married a millionaire?”

EM: “I’m not married.”

PM: “So your wife owns the house?”

EM: “She’s not my wife.”

PM: “So your girlfriend owns the house?”

EM: “My partner. Girlfriend sounds too temporary.”

On drugs and under-age drinking

I was too square.

On special talents

Oh God, er . . . I used to be good at the Rubik’s cube.

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Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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