Miliband warns Labour is 'furthest from power in 50 years'
Labour under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership is further from power than any time in the past 50 years, David Miliband has said.
As Mr Corbyn made clear he is determined to continue as Labour leader despite a defeat in the Copeland by-election, Mr Miliband said he was "deeply concerned" about the party.
The currently US-based former foreign secretary also refused to rule out a future run for the Labour leadership, although admitted a return to frontline politics was "hard to see" at present.
Mr Miliband told The Times: "I'm obviously deeply concerned that Labour is further from power than at any stage in my lifetime."
Asked about his future, he added: "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do.
"It's hard to see, but what's the point of saying never?"
MPs have warned the party was on course for a "catastrophic" general election defeat after the Conservatives snatched the Cumbrian seat of Copeland which had been held by Labour since 1935.
Mr Corbyn said the result was "very disappointing" but made clear he would resist calls to resign.
"I was elected to lead this party. I am proud to lead this party," he told reporters.
"We will continue our campaigning work on the NHS, on social care, on housing."
One leading trade union figure warned Mr Corbyn he had to "turn things around" and show he could deliver a Labour government, while another said he needs to take responsibility for improving the party's fortunes "sooner rather than later".
Following a tumultuous election night on Thursday, a jubilant Theresa May travelled north to Copeland to hail an "astounding" victory for Tory candidate Trudy Harrison.
Her triumph was the first gain for a governing party in a parliamentary by-election since 1982.
Later, Mrs May told the Conservative Councillors' Association conference in Lincolnshire Labour's "devastating" defeat showed it is "out of touch with the concerns of ordinary working people" and that only the Tories "can truly call itself the party of working people".
There was some consolation for Labour in Stoke-on-Trent Central, where it saw off a concerted challenge from Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, albeit with a reduced majority.
But there was despair among MPs at the defeat in Copeland, with John Woodcock, MP for neighbouring Barrow-in-Furness, warning the party was heading for a "historic and catastrophic defeat" at the general election.
Senior Labour backbencher David Winnick said Mr Corbyn was an "obstacle" to victory and should consider his position as he is "simply not acceptable" to traditional Labour voters.
Labour's shadow leader of the Lords, Baroness Smith, described the Copeland defeat as "devastating" and said Mr Corbyn should "think long and hard" about his response.