Miliband's Phone Confiscated Over Cable Texts

Ed Miliband has revealed that Labour Party officials have changed his mobile phone after the row over his text exchanges with Vince Cable.

The Labour leader disclosed earlier this month that he had been secretly wooing the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary with text messages.

His admission infuriated Labour left-wingers and veterans Dennis Skinner and Ken Livingstone protested angrily at a meeting of the party's national executive committee on Tuesday.

But according to one member of the party's ruling body, the Labour leader stunned NEC members by responding: "They've taken my phone away."

One NEC member told Sky News: "They've changed his mobile phone. He now has a different phone with a different number. Someone else now has his number. When I tried to text Ed, someone else replied."

When Mr Miliband revealed he had exchanged texts with Mr Cable, it was seen as a move to court him in the hope of forming a coalition with the Liberal Democrats after the next election.

"I exchange text messages with lots of different people," Mr Miliband said when asked about his contacts with Mr Cable. "Wisdom does not reside in any one party."

It was later reported that Mr Cable had texted the Labour leader to congratulate him on his conference speech last year, saying it was "one of the best arguments for social democracy made in years".

But at Tuesday's NEC, when arrangements for this year's conference were discussed, Mr Skinner subjected Mr Miliband to "a rant", according to one of those present, before Mr Livingstone joined in the criticism.

Many Labour MPs have been alarmed by moves by Mr Miliband and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls to woo Mr Cable and other senior Lib Dems, fearing it will damage Labour's chances of winning an outright majority at the election.

Mr Cable, who has refused to rule out standing for the Lib Dem leadership after the next election, was also criticised over the text exchanges from within his own party by former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

"The success of this coalition depends upon everyone who participates in it being a full subscriber," said Sir Menzies.

"And I don't think ... it helps a partnership to suggest that you may already be looking for another partner."

But defending his contacts with Mr Miliband, Mr Cable told Sky News when the row broke: "I don't know what the problem is.

"I do very, very occasionally talk to the leader of the Labour Party and other people across the political spectrum about matters of national interest. Surely that's grown up?"