Ed Miliband has welcomed a challenge from Jeremy Clarkson for his Doncaster North seat – but cast doubt on whether the TV star will actually launch a bid to be an MP.
Clarkson, the ex-Top Gear presenter who now runs his ‘Diddly Squat’ farm in Oxfordshire, recently hinted he could try to become the next Donacaster North MP.
The South Yorkshire seat has been held by Mr Miliband, the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, since 2005.
But, in a social media post earlier this week, Clarkson paved the way for a high-profile challenge against the Cabinet minister the next time voters go to the polls.
The 65-year-old, who was born in Mr Miliband’s constituency, wrote: ‘People of Doncaster North. Are you happy with your MP?
‘Would you like it if someone from your neck of the woods kicked him out?’
Yet Mr Miliband poured cold water on Clarkson’s claims when quizzed about a potential challenge from the Clarkson’s Farm and The Grand Tour host.
‘I think he is a sort of long-standing aspirant to my seat,’ Mr Miliband told Sky News this morning. ‘I think he said in 2013 that he was going to contest my seat.
‘So look, it’s for other people to decide if they want to stand for Parliament, including in my seat. I welcome all comers. Let’s see what happens.’
Mr Miliband later told LBC: ‘Jeremy Clarkson or anyone else – bring it on I say!’
Ed Miliband has welcomed a challenge from Jeremy Clarkson for his Doncaster North seat – but cast doubt on whether the TV star will actually launch a bid to be an MP
Mr Miliband poured cold water on Clarkson’s claims when quizzed about a potential challenge from the Clarkson’s Farm and The Grand Tour host
Mr Miliband won Doncaster North with a majority of more than 9,100 at last year’s election.
But current polling trends suggest he could be unseated by Reform UK were a general election held at the present time.
Clarkson has been a fierce critic of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Government since they won power last July.
He has joined farmers’ protests against changes to inheritance tax and also spoken out against the Net Zero drive being spearheaded by Mr Miliband.
Clarkson previously suggested he could enter politics ahead of the 2015 general election, at a time when Labour were being led by Mr Miliband.
He posted on Twitter in 2013: ‘I’m thinking I might stand in the next election as an independent for Doncaster North, which is where I’m from. Thoughts?’
Clarkson has expressed his support for the Conservatives in the past and is a friend of former Tory PM David Cameron.
In a recent column for The Sun newspaper, he praised the Tories for the ‘common sense’ on display at their recent party conference in Manchester.
He also launched an attack on both Reform leader Nigel Farage and Sir Keir.
‘Farage rarely talks about the economy and when he does, his numbers don’t add up,’ Clarkson wrote.
‘He says he wants to cut taxes and increase spending by £150billion. Huh?
‘But before anyone has the chance to question his logic, he scuttles back to his safe space and starts raging about small boats.
‘Starmer, meanwhile, has no clue what to do about the economy because he’s thick. That’s why he’s broken it.
‘The fact is that nothing in this country will work if the economy isn’t booming, and it won’t boom if we have a government that stifles it with rules and taxes.’
