Speaking to The Times , 51-year-old Miliband – who narrowly lost out on the Labour leadership in 2010 – said: “I’m obviously deeply concerned that Labour is further from power than at any stage in my lifetime.” Miliband was interviewed by the newspaper after Labour’s humiliating defeat to the Conservatives in the Copeland by-election , which marked the first time a sitting party has gained a seat in a by-election since 1982.