The Energy Secretary also ruled out running for the leadership of the party himself, saying he would not run for a second time.
Ed Miliband has said today that Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar made the wrong judgement call yesterday when he called for the Prime Minister to step down.
The Prime Minister has endured a difficult start to the week, amid speculation over his future, after his judgement was questioned over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, despite his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Prime Minister has said that Mandelson lied to him and his team over his relationship with Epstein and over the weekend, his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney resigned.
Monday afternoon saw a dramatic intervention from Sarwar who arranged a press conference and called for the Prime Minister to step down.
However, the entire cabinet pledged support for the Prime Minister as did senior Labour figures such as Sadiq Khan, Angela Rayner and Lucy Powell.
Appearing on Sky’s Sophy Ridge programme earlier today, Miliband said: “Anas is my friend. I think he made a wrong judgement yesterday”.
The Energy Secretary also ruled out running for the leadership of the party himself, saying he would not run for a second time.
He added: “We’ve made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we’re doing as a government, like Winter Fuel Payment, for example, wasn’t consistent with our values as a government.
“We need to change. And I think what I saw from Keir last night was someone who wants to seize this moment and make it a moment of change, to reconnect with the country.”
Asked about his own leadership ambitions, he said: “Absolute baloney.”
Pushed on if he is interested in running or becoming leader (again), Miliband responded: “I’m interested in supporting Keir Starmer.
“I’m not going to run.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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