How Ed Miliband became Britain’s most divisive government minister

Ed Miliband is a powerful figure in a centrist Labour government, with a commanding majority and mandate to deliver the change he is convinced the U.K. badly needs.

In his first month in office he introduced legislation to create a publicly owned power company, GB Energy .

He also lifted a de facto ban on new onshore wind turbines in England , authorized the construction of three giant solar farms and installed a “mission control” unit in his department.

Climate action is “absolutely at the core of the government’s agenda,” a buoyant Miliband told an audience of green activists and renewable industry lobbyists in London in late July .

Miliband 's first stint as climate secretary was under Brown from 2008 to 2010 , when he introduced the Climate Change Act .

But for many voters, the abiding image of him is of the awkward opposition leader.

Many energy market experts endorse the theory — but Labour ’s specific claim that it will save households 300 by 2030 has raised eyebrows.

They need to be careful with the promises around that figure,” said one energy industry figure.

“Prices are likely to stay high for some time.” If he succeeds, Miliband will have won a big prize.