Milixander
| Milixander | |
|---|---|
| |
| Ed Miliband / Douglas Alexander | |
| Names | Milixander |
| Description | Wee Dougie, caught between two Milibands |
Ed Miliband, Leader of the Opposition and Douglas Alexander, Shadow Foreign Secretary have been close friends for many years.
History[edit | edit source]
Ed and Douglas first met in 1990 in David Miliband's flat, when Douglas was working for Gordon Brown and Ed was still an undergraduate at Oxford. They successfully worked together on the Scottish Parliament election campaign in 1999, where their friendship deepened. The following year, they shared a holiday to Ireland along with James Purnell and have since visited Scotland, France and the US together.
Being the least tribal supporters of Brown, they were known in the Treasury as the 'Treasury girls'. Hasan and McIntyre's biography claims that they shared an office while both were advisors to Brown and could be heard complaining about Ed Balls and the other 'boys'.[1]
As Energy Secretary and International Development Secretary in 2009, they went to the Copenhagen summit together with Hilary Benn, then Environment Secretary. They both played important roles during the 2010 General Election, Douglas as election co-ordinator and Ed as the author of the manifesto.
Douglas decided to lead David Miliband's leadership campaign, although he was close to both Miliband brothers. After Ed became leader, he was made shadow secretary for work and pensions and later shadow foreign secretary.
Support[edit | edit source]
Douglas usually sits on Ed's right during PMQs and can sometimes be seen muttering helpful tips/bitchy comments.
It's almost like they have the same brain.
Fanon[edit | edit source]
Milixander fanfic tends to use the idea that Douglas was torn between the Miliband brothers during the leadership contest and felt guilty for not having supported Ed. It suggests that Ed and Douglas were not as close after Ed was elected, or that it took some time for their relationship to heal.
