 On 23 January 2013 , Miliband stated that he was against holding a referendum on the UK 's membership of the European Union because of the economic uncertainty that it would create . On 18 March 2013 , Miliband reached a deal with both Cameron and Nick Clegg on new press regulation laws following the Leveson Inquiry , which he said " satisfied the demands of protection for victims and freedom of the press " . In August 2013 , following the recall of Parliament to discuss an alleged chemical attack in Syria , Miliband announced that Labour would oppose any military intervention on the basis that there was insufficient evidence . David Cameron had been in favour of such action but lost the ensuing vote , making it the first time that a British prime minister had been prevented from instigating military action by parliament since 1956 . 
