Britain’s new opposition Labour Party chief Ed Miliband denies he’ll advocate a leftist agenda

New Labour leader says he won’t be “Red Ed”

LONDON — Britain’s newly appointed opposition leader Ed Miliband says he won’t force his Labour Party toward the political left-wing after beating his better-known brother in a close election.

Miliband, 40, narrowly defeated brother David in a leadership contest Saturday, largely due to his wider support among leftist labor unions.

But the new party chief on Sunday denied he would repay union bosses by ditching his party’s business-friendly policies. Critics have already dubbed Miliband “Red Ed.”

“I am nobody’s man, I am my own man. I am very clear about that,” Miliband told the BBC, in a first interview since his victory.

He won with 50.6 percent of votes of legislators, party activists and about 3.5 million union members, to his elder brother’s 49.3 percent.