'I don't read much British news': Ed Miliband’s stock falls on Fleet Street

Restoring trust: Ed Miliband (Getty)

In the week that the new press regulator IPSO announces its board, Ed Miliband gives an interview to Buzzfeed in which he says: "It's always a good idea not to read the newspapers… I don't read much British news."

He admits to not having any newspapers delivered to his home and relies on aides to brief him on what's going on in the world. This is the same Ed Miliband who used his office to host press reform group Hacked Off for a critical meeting to thrash out the future of the newspaper industry.

Miliband was badly treated when the Daily Mail maligned his late father but it seems extraordinary that he shuns even liberal and Labour-supporting titles. It sends out a disappointing message on the importance he places on free speech and current affairs and it's hard to imagine any newspaper publisher taking him seriously on the subjects.

At first I thought it was just a clumsy attempt to court favour with a cool internet brand but it turns out Ed avoids rolling news channels and Twitter too. He just can't stand the news. I'd guess he didn't know much about Buzzfeed either but was advised to do an interview by one of his worldly aides.