By . Daniel Martin . Ed Miliband claimed his party had 'done well' and was 'making progress' - but some feel Labour is floundering . Labour's ‘elitist and arrogant’ leaders have been attacked by their own MPs over their complacent reaction to the party’s dismal  election results. Ed Miliband claimed his party had ‘done well’ and was ‘making progress’ – despite being the first opposition leader in 30 years not to take first place in the European poll. But former Labour ministers said the party was ‘heading for catastrophe’ and was failing to tackle the Ukip threat or appeal to voters outside London. One said the European result was a  ‘terrible’ one, and that anyone in Mr  Miliband’s circle who believed it meant Labour was on course for a general election victory needed their ‘heads examining’. Others accused the party’s leadership of having their ‘pointy heads in the sand’ – and said Mr Miliband’s refusal to back a referendum on Europe was ‘untenable’. Labour finished second behind Ukip in the European Parliament elections, taking just over 25 per cent of the vote – marginally ahead of the Tories on 24 per cent. The local council results were also disappointing, with Labour winning 31 per cent of the vote to the Tories’ 29 per cent. Pollsters say an opposition leader wishing to win next year’s general election would need to be doing far better at this stage – with YouGov president Peter Kellner saying Labour should be ‘terrified’. But Mr Miliband, who will today visit Thurrock in Essex – the site of some of Ukip’s greatest victories – said Labour had ‘done well’ and again refused to hold an in/out referendum on Europe. ‘Labour made real progress in these elections, pushing the Tories into third place for the first time ever in a national election,’ he said. ‘I think we did well, from a party that in 2010 got one of its worst shares of the vote ever in an election. ‘In lots of the key areas that we need to win, Labour was actually winning. So I think that is a sign that Labour can win the general election.’ But one former minister responded by saying: ‘This is a terrible result for Labour. ‘If the people around Ed think they are on course for an election victory on this basis, they need their heads examined. ‘I’ve not met anyone on the doorstep who is saying anything warm about Ed Miliband at all. Whatever good ideas he may be having; people are not listening.’ ¿If the people around Ed think they are on course for an election victory on this basis, they need their heads examined,' said one former minister . The European results show Labour did better in the capital; comfortably topping the poll and taking four seats. But the former minister warned: ‘London has a larger proportion of people who vote for us, like ethnic minorities and the young, Labour is not appealing to ordinary men and women in the rest of Britain.’ Frank Field, who served as a social security minister under Tony Blair, said the Labour leadership was ‘in denial’ about Ukip. ‘We have to offer a referendum. Ordinary voters think Labour’s position is untenable,’ he said. ‘They think we’re shoving two  fingers up their nose. ‘We will have a catastrophe at the next election if we go on like this. ‘Our voters are trying to give us one last chance and tell us they want change. Ed Miliband has got to free himself from this or he will drag us down with him.’ Many Labour MPs complain the public thinks Ed Miliband is weird – while others said the failure to offer the public a referendum on EU membership was making Labour’s policies ‘unattractive’. Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, said the leadership was guilty of huge complacency in the face of the Ukip threat and called on Mr Miliband to change his tune on immigration and Europe. He said: ‘I think it’s very elitist and arrogant. While these elections were about Europe and there were certainly some protest votes, there were also some people voting against the direction this country is going in Europe. Unless we have a policy response to that, which has to be…a referendum, then we’re going to lose votes.’ John Mann, MP for Bassetlaw, tweeted: ‘Mmm, Labour official briefing calls results excellent. Pointy heads in the sand.’ Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking and Dagenham, previously warned about the dangers of ignoring the BNP and now believes the same may be happening with Ukip. The former minister said: ‘I think the lesson for Labour is that it can’t set the agenda for people’s lives from Westminster. We have to really listen…and really respond.’ Austin Mitchell, MP for Great Grimsby, said the leadership had not been listening to ordinary people. ‘The Labour Party is crazy not to call for a referendum,’ he said. He told the Morning Star: ‘We should have committed to an EU referendum before these elections.’ John Mills, Labour’s largest private donor and chairman of Labour for a Referendum, said: ‘People have clearly voted for parties offering a referendum on our membership of the EU. In some areas Ukip are taking Labour votes.’ A source close to Mr Miliband said the party was not going to try and ‘out-Ukip Ukip’ by offering a referendum. ‘This is the first time we have beaten the Conservatives for 20 years in Europe and the first time we have got more than 4million votes for 20 years,’ he said.
MIliband claims the party is 'doing well' even though it only just edged Tories .
But top party officials say Labour is 'heading for catastrophe'
One said: 'Whatever good ideas he may be having; people are not listening'
By . Daniel Martin . Ed Miliband claimed his party had 'done well' and was 'making progress' - but some feel Labour is floundering . Labour's ‘elitist and arrogant’ leaders have been attacked by their own MPs over their complacent reaction to the party’s dismal  election results. Ed Miliband claimed his party had ‘done well’ and was ‘making progress’ – despite being the first opposition leader in 30 years not to take first place in the European poll. But former Labour ministers said the party was ‘heading for catastrophe’ and was failing to tackle the Ukip threat or appeal to voters outside London. One said the European result was a  ‘terrible’ one, and that anyone in Mr  Miliband’s circle who believed it meant Labour was on course for a general election victory needed their ‘heads examining’. Others accused the party’s leadership of having their ‘pointy heads in the sand’ – and said Mr Miliband’s refusal to back a referendum on Europe was ‘untenable’. Labour finished second behind Ukip in the European Parliament elections, taking just over 25 per cent of the vote – marginally ahead of the Tories on 24 per cent. The local council results were also disappointing, with Labour winning 31 per cent of the vote to the Tories’ 29 per cent. Pollsters say an opposition leader wishing to win next year’s general election would need to be doing far better at this stage – with YouGov president Peter Kellner saying Labour should be ‘terrified’. But Mr Miliband, who will today visit Thurrock in Essex – the site of some of Ukip’s greatest victories – said Labour had ‘done well’ and again refused to hold an in/out referendum on Europe. ‘Labour made real progress in these elections, pushing the Tories into third place for the first time ever in a national election,’ he said. ‘I think we did well, from a party that in 2010 got one of its worst shares of the vote ever in an election. ‘In lots of the key areas that we need to win, Labour was actually winning. So I think that is a sign that Labour can win the general election.’ But one former minister responded by saying: ‘This is a terrible result for Labour. ‘If the people around Ed think they are on course for an election victory on this basis, they need their heads examined. ‘I’ve not met anyone on the doorstep who is saying anything warm about Ed Miliband at all. Whatever good ideas he may be having; people are not listening.’ ¿If the people around Ed think they are on course for an election victory on this basis, they need their heads examined,' said one former minister . The European results show Labour did better in the capital; comfortably topping the poll and taking four seats. But the former minister warned: ‘London has a larger proportion of people who vote for us, like ethnic minorities and the young, Labour is not appealing to ordinary men and women in the rest of Britain.’ Frank Field, who served as a social security minister under Tony Blair, said the Labour leadership was ‘in denial’ about Ukip. ‘We have to offer a referendum. Ordinary voters think Labour’s position is untenable,’ he said. ‘They think we’re shoving two  fingers up their nose. ‘We will have a catastrophe at the next election if we go on like this. ‘Our voters are trying to give us one last chance and tell us they want change. Ed Miliband has got to free himself from this or he will drag us down with him.’ Many Labour MPs complain the public thinks Ed Miliband is weird – while others said the failure to offer the public a referendum on EU membership was making Labour’s policies ‘unattractive’. Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, said the leadership was guilty of huge complacency in the face of the Ukip threat and called on Mr Miliband to change his tune on immigration and Europe. He said: ‘I think it’s very elitist and arrogant. While these elections were about Europe and there were certainly some protest votes, there were also some people voting against the direction this country is going in Europe. Unless we have a policy response to that, which has to be…a referendum, then we’re going to lose votes.’ John Mann, MP for Bassetlaw, tweeted: ‘Mmm, Labour official briefing calls results excellent. Pointy heads in the sand.’ Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking and Dagenham, previously warned about the dangers of ignoring the BNP and now believes the same may be happening with Ukip. The former minister said: ‘I think the lesson for Labour is that it can’t set the agenda for people’s lives from Westminster. We have to really listen…and really respond.’ Austin Mitchell, MP for Great Grimsby, said the leadership had not been listening to ordinary people. ‘The Labour Party is crazy not to call for a referendum,’ he said. He told the Morning Star: ‘We should have committed to an EU referendum before these elections.’ John Mills, Labour’s largest private donor and chairman of Labour for a Referendum, said: ‘People have clearly voted for parties offering a referendum on our membership of the EU. In some areas Ukip are taking Labour votes.’ A source close to Mr Miliband said the party was not going to try and ‘out-Ukip Ukip’ by offering a referendum. ‘This is the first time we have beaten the Conservatives for 20 years in Europe and the first time we have got more than 4million votes for 20 years,’ he said.
some feel Labour is floundering . Labour's ministers said the party was ‘heading for good ideas he may be having; people are not