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Ed Miliband's 'Edstone' for sale on eBay as Twitter mocks auction of the former leader's monument

Jokers have listed the stone carved with Miliband's pledges multiple times

Ben Tufft
Saturday 09 May 2015 17:12 BST
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Labour leader Ed Miliband unveils Labour's pledges carved into a stone plinth in Hastings
Labour leader Ed Miliband unveils Labour's pledges carved into a stone plinth in Hastings (PA)

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Just a day after Ed Miliband quit as Labour leader, following a disastrous night for the party at the polls, jokers have listed his stone plinth on eBay.

One listing titled “Edstone Approx 7ft x 3ft. Feats Random Musings, Unused. No Longer needed” has already seen bids rise to more than £1,000.

Another describes the stone as “£30,000 worth of unwanted limestone obelisk" which “some idiot has carved some inane slogans on”.

But adds these can be removed, "just like its current owner has been erased from the political landscape of much of the country.”

The "stone" has attracted bids of more than £1,000 (eBay)
The "stone" has attracted bids of more than £1,000 (eBay)

Sellers of both listings were keen to point out they were in fact only selling a picture of the former Labour leader with his stone block.

Mr Miliband was widely derided after he unveiled the giant stone, carved with his party's election pledges, days before the General Election, which saw Labour wiped out in Scotland and soundly defeated by the Tories in England and Wales.

Twitter users were not the only ones to dismiss the stone monument as a stunt. Former Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg had said the stunt demonstrated a "lack of grip and seriousness" in the former Labour leader's team.

After Mr Miliband initially unveiled his promises carved in stone, many presciently pointed out that the the monument could be viewed as the party's "tombstone", should it lose the election.

On Twitter, users were quick to mock the apparent sale of the election gimmick after Mr Miliband stepped down as leader. With one posting a picture of the new crazing paving at Downing Street, made from the stone and others claiming they were keen to bid on the item.

The six pledges on the stone read: "A stronger economic foundation; higher living standards for working families; an NHS with time to care; controls on immigration; a country where the next generation can do better than the last and homes to buy and action on rents," followed by Mr Miliband's signature.

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