Election 2015: Ed Miliband defends his pledge stone

 

Ed Miliband has defended his decision to carve Labour promises in stone - insisting he wants to show the public his pledges will not expire on 8 May.

The limestone monument, which the Labour leader suggested could be placed in the garden of Number 10, has already attracted widespread comment.
The 8ft stone has already prompted its own hashtag #EdStone and has been mocked by David Cameron and Nick Clegg.
But Mr Miliband said he wanted to be the first politician to "over deliver".
The Labour leader unveiled the pledge stone at a hustings event on Sunday.
Landscaping issue
The ridicule of the idea was put to Mr Miliband on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
But he said: "The difference with our pledges is they are not going to expire on 8 May.
"Nick Clegg went into the last election saying he'd cut tuition fees - he trebled them. David Cameron went into the last election, saying 'no ifs no buts - net migration into the tens of thousands' - it's 298,000.
"We're setting out promises - they don't expire on May 8. They don't disappear."
Asked whether the monument would be placed in Downing Street if he becomes prime minister, Mr Miliband said: "I'll leave the landscape gardening to other people.
"But I'm absolutely clear about this: There are millions of people who are turned off this election... because they think no politicians keep their promises.
"I want to be the first person in British politics for a generation to under-promise and over- deliver, not over-promise and under-deliver. And that's why I've set out these pledges, and that's why I'm serious about keeping these pledges."