quasi-Trot nonsense

Below is one of the silliest things I've seen a senior Labour person say for some time. In response to this bit of Ed Miliband's speech:

‘One Nation Labour has changed from New Labour – businesses have a responsibility to pay their taxes, respect their customers and treat their workers fairly.’

John McTernan wrote (for Progress):

It is a malicious, ultra-left, quasi-Trot smearing of the best British government of my lifetime.

I can understand some people on the right of Labour don't like Ed advancing a marginally more critical view of business, but there is no need to turn into the Daily Mail about it. "ultra-left" and "quasi-Trot"? Seriously? I think Trots, God bless 'em, have slightly different views on solving issues like the power of energy companies than creating a more competitive market.

If John McTernan finds that bit of a speech to be "ultra-left" what will he make of the clear call for class war advanced in this part of an article by Miliband in the Staggers:

The sense of disempowerment can be economic, in workplaces that lack the collective power of trade unions and where employee satisfaction and opportunity are limited. .....In truth, the “Third Way” discussions of the 1990s were too weak in addressing issues of economic power, in the workplace and elsewhere. 

That's David Miliband, of course.