Miliband family feud could damage Labour Party

London, June 17 (ANI): Labour Party sources have warned that the political feud between the Miliband brothers - David and Ed - over leadership, has the potential of damaging the party in the long-term.

One Labour source said: "There is a real danger this sibling rivalry could do real damage to the party."

The Daily Express quoted sources as saying last night that the rivalry between the siblings has been simmering for quite some time.

According to them, the feud goes as far back as the last Government when David urged fellow ministers to dump Gordon Brown before the election.

Ed was reported to have said it would be like "killing our father".

A BBC2 Newsnight debate on Tuesday saw both having a difference of opinion about the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the role of British troops there.

David Miliband dismissed his brother's claim that "war should always be a last resort".

Emphasising his foreign policy experience, the former Foreign Secretary said: "You can't go to Afghanistan as I have and see people half our age, young enough to be our sons or daughters, serving our country there and believe that anyone in Parliament would send them other than in the most extreme circumstances."

Former Education Secretary Ed Balls, another contender to succeed Mr Brown, claimed the brothers' allies were locked in feuding.

He told a magazine: "Between the two brothers there has been a bit of off-the-record briefing going on. I think it is pretty unedifying."

But allies of Ed Miliband dismissed Mr Balls' comments last night and a spokeswoman for David Miliband said: "They are competing for the same job, so of course there will be differences. (ANI)